Northrop Grumman ESM Officially Designated AN/ALQ-240(V)1

Northrop Grumman’s Electronic Support Measures (ESM) system for the US Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft has officially been designated the AN/ALQ-240(V)1. Assigning nomenclature is an important discriminator that indicates the system is unique from existing systems in the US inventory.

According to the company, the AN/ALQ-240(V)1 electronic support measures system ‘will provide a significant increase in capability for operations in the complex maritime battlespace. The adaptive tuning, precise direction finding and geolocation capabilities of the ALQ-240(V)1 will allow P-8A aircrews to detect and identify radar and other electronic threats to the aircraft and navy vessels.’

To date, Boeing and its team, which includes Northrop Grumman, have delivered three production P-8As to the Navy. Initial operational capability is scheduled for 2013.

Paul Kalafos, vice president of Northrop Grumman's Surveillance Systems business unit, commented: ‘The awarding of the official nomenclature to our ESM system for the P-8A is significant for Northrop Grumman and the P-8A programme and supports transition to production. The system will contribute to a powerful maritime surveillance capability for the navy.’

Northrop Grumman also provides the P-8A platform's early warning self-protection system, commonly referred to as EWSP, and the embedded global positioning system/inertial navigation system.