Image: Raytheon / RTX
The milestone delivery, completed ahead of schedule, bolsters Australia’s airborne electronic warfare capabilities under a joint program with the U.S. Navy.
Raytheon, an RTX business, has delivered its first Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) shipsets to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), marking a significant step forward in a trilateral defence development program with the U.S. Navy.
The first delivery took place ahead of schedule in September 2025, with further shipsets expected through 2026, according to Raytheon.
What the NGJ Does
The Next Generation Jammer is an airborne electronic attack system mounted in pod form on aircraft. It uses active electronically scanned arrays (AESAs) to emit signals across the mid-band frequency range, targeting and disrupting enemy radar and communication systems.
The capability allows aircrews to operate undetected in contested environments. By neutralising adversary sensors before they can track or engage, NGJ enhances both survivability and mission effectiveness for RAAF aircrew.
A Trilateral Development Effort
Raytheon has worked alongside the U.S. Navy and the RAAF since the NGJ program’s inception. Australia’s involvement makes it one of the few non-U.S. partners in a co-development programme of this technical complexity.
Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon, described the delivery as a landmark moment. “This advanced technology will greatly enhance RAAF’s electronic warfare capabilities,” she said, “safeguarding vital assets on its aircraft and more effectively neutralising adversary technologies across a wide range of missions.”
Beyond hardware delivery, Raytheon is providing on-site deployment and maintenance support in Australia to sustain operational and mission readiness.
Strategic Context
The delivery arrives as Indo-Pacific nations accelerate investment in electronic warfare and contested-airspace capabilities. Australia, through its defence partnerships and the AUKUS agreement, has prioritised interoperability with U.S. forces across air, sea, and undersea domains.
Electronic attack systems like NGJ sit at the centre of modern air combat strategy. The ability to suppress or deceive enemy integrated air defence systems (IADS) is critical to enabling strike packages, surveillance missions, and force projection in high-threat environments.
The RAAF operates the Boeing EA-18G Growler — the primary platform for NGJ — making Australia one of only two operators of the dedicated electronic attack aircraft alongside the U.S. Navy. The NGJ is designed to replace the legacy AN/ALQ-99 jamming system, which has been in service since the 1970s.
Source: Raytheon / RTX Press Release
