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BackThe U.S. Air Force invested US$87.4 million to upgrade the F-16 electronic warfare system, with a total value of US$1.92 billion.
The U.S. Air Force invested US$87.4 million to upgrade the F-16 electronic warfare system, with a total value of US$1.92 billion.
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自由时报1 hour agoDefense2 min readChinaView original

The U.S. Air Force invested US$87.4 million to upgrade the F-16 electronic warfare system, with a total value of US$1.92 billion.

United States Air Forcef-16ivews

Quick Look

  • Air Force invested US$87.4 million (approximately NT$2.77 billion) to accelerate the replacement of F-16 Fighting Falcons with the AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS), increasing the overall program value to US$1.92 billion.
  • The new system has independent geo-positioning and active interference capabilities for a single aircraft.
  • The first batch of low-rate initial production is expected to be completed before the end of 2029.

AI-generated summary

Why It Matters

Faced with increasingly complex air defense and electronic warfare threats, the U.S. Air Force has invested in upgrading the electronic warfare capabilities of F-16 fighters to maintain its combat effectiveness in high-threat airspace. Developed by Northrop Grumman, the IVEWS system has radar warning, active jamming, threat detection, identification and positioning capabilities, and can operate in conjunction with existing SABR radars.

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The picture shows the AN/ALQ-257 "Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite" (IVEWS). (Picture taken from Northrop Grumman)

[Reporter Wu Zheyu/Comprehensive Report] Faced with increasingly complex air defense and electronic warfare threats, the U.S. Air Force invested US$87.4 million (approximately NT$2.77 billion) to accelerate the replacement of F-16 "Fighting Falcons" with the AN/ALQ-257 "Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite" (IVEWS), increasing the overall project value to US$1.92 billion. The new system can not only actively interfere with enemy radars, but also allow a single F-16 to autonomously locate the source of threats. The first batch of low-rate initial production is expected to be completed before the end of 2029.

The military news website "Air & Space Forces Magazine" reported that this contract will launch low-rate initial production (LRIP) of IVEWS, mainly in response to the operational needs of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in the Middle East. The first batch is planned to be 72 Block 50 F-16s, and then it is expected to enter full production, with the ultimate goal of covering 450 F-16s.

Please read on...

IVEWS was developed by Northrop Grumman. It is an ultra-wideband electronic warfare system directly integrated into the F-16 airframe. It has radar warning, active jamming, threat detection, identification and positioning capabilities. One of the biggest features is "single aircraft autonomous geo-positioning". An F-16 can find the location of enemy radar and continuously activate the jammer.

By comparison, older systems often require multiple fighter aircraft to triangulate, and jammers may have to be turned off while establishing a threat location. Northrop Grumman pointed out that IVEWS allows pilots to electronically jam and map enemy radar threat locations at the same time, improving self-protection capabilities when entering high-threat airspace to perform missions.

The U.S. Air Force issued an urgent operational requirement in September 2025, and Congress subsequently provided $187 million to accelerate IVEWS qualification verification and flight testing. The system has been undergoing flight testing since 2024 and has completed more than 300 sorties and a total of 550 hours of testing.

The U.S. military recently used a large number of Block 50 F-16s to perform suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD) missions in "Operation Epic Fury" and deployed the majority of F-16 troops. These fighters can carry AGM-88 anti-radiation missiles and HTS target calibration pods, specifically hunting enemy air defense radars.

IVEWS can also operate in conjunction with the AN/APG-83 SABR Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. As of mid-May, Northrop Grumman has delivered 1,000 SABR radars to F-16 customers around the world. Paired with the LITENING LA calibrated pod that has a 50% increase in operating range, the US military hopes to continue to maintain combat capability for the F-16 that has been in service for decades through comprehensive upgrades in sensors and electronic warfare.

It is worth noting that the U.S. Air Force is currently evaluating the repurchase of newly produced F-16s. If the previously exposed "F-16G" concept is further implemented, IVEWS may also become the core electronic warfare equipment of the new fighters.

What to Watch

AI outlook — possibilities, not facts

  • IVEWS will complete the first batch of low-rate initial production by the end of 2029 and enter the full-rate production stage.

    Likely · Within years

  • The IVEWS system will become the standard electronic warfare equipment for new F-16G fighters in the future.

    Possible · Within years

Open Questions

  • What is the specific timetable for full production of IVEWS?
  • How much does the system cost per machine?
  • In addition to the F-16, is IVEWS considering equipping other aircraft models?

Related Topics

United States Air Force
PeopleWu Zheyu
OrganizationsNorthrop GrummanU.S. Central CommandAir & Space Forces Magazine
PlacesUnited Statesmiddle east
Topicsf-16ivewsan/alq-257electronic warfareNorthrop Grummanmiddle east
This article was originally published by 自由时报.

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