Naval Sea Systems Command recently awarded Lockheed Martin a $113 million contract for the production of Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 2 AN/SLQ-32(V)6 and AN/SLQ-32C(V)6 systems.
The contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy and the Japanese government under the Foreign Military Sales program and modifies a previously awarded SEWIP contract.
“The SEWIP program has proven critical for the U.S. Navy in the early detection of threats,” Deon Viergutz, Lockheed Martin Rotary & Mission Systems vice president of Spectrum Convergence, said. “With this first purchase in Japan, we are setting the stage to continue to expand this key technology around the globe for an improved network of electronic surveillance, enabling U.S., allied and partner forces to continue to evolve and outpace modern threats.”
SEWIP Block 2 provides improved anti-ship missile defense and situational awareness. It provides early detection, analysis, and threat warning against anti-ship missiles for surface ships, and can help sailors protect their ships from missiles based on invisible radio frequency signatures.
The system currently is deployed on dozens of Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers. Eventually it will be deployed on nearly all U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutters.
The contract is expected to be completed by October 2026.