The US Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman a contract modification to manufacture up to nine additional Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 3 systems, further strengthening naval defenses against advanced missile threats. The award builds on a $334 million contract issued in December 2025 and includes the first SEWIP Block 3 shipset designated for installation aboard an aircraft carrier. With this addition, the company is now contracted to deliver as many as 24 systems under the program.
SEWIP Block 3 equips naval platforms with advanced electronic attack capabilities, enabling them to detect, jam, and disrupt incoming missiles before impact, thereby enhancing survivability in increasingly contested environments. Alongside this effort, Northrop Grumman is developing the Scaled Onboard Electronic Attack (SOEA) system, a more compact and lightweight variant derived from SEWIP Block 3. Designed for smaller vessels, SOEA offers similar electronic warfare functionality with reduced size, weight, and power requirements and is currently undergoing rapid prototyping under a Navy contract.
The program forms part of a broader push to expand electronic warfare capabilities across the US Navy fleet. Complementary efforts include Raytheon Technologies’ Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band, awarded a $580 million contract in 2025, and L3Harris Technologies’ development of the Next Generation Jammer Low Band under a $587.4 million contract. These systems aim to replace legacy jammers and introduce advanced digital, multi-threat engagement capabilities. Additionally, ELTA North America is working on stand-off jamming solutions to disrupt adversary communications from safer distances, reflecting a comprehensive modernization of airborne and maritime electronic attack systems.
