BAE Systems has been awarded a significant contract to deliver its latest-generation electronic warfare suite for the F-35 Lightning II, boosting the aircraft’s survivability and mission effectiveness. Known as the AN/ASQ-239 system, the upgrade represents a leap in defensive countermeasures, integrating advanced signal detection, electronic attack, and threat geolocation functions. The next-gen suite provides real-time awareness of the electromagnetic spectrum, empowering pilots to detect, evade, and suppress threats with precision. Designed to outpace emerging radar and missile systems, the technology features modular software and hardware architecture for easy modernization. BAE Systems will execute production in the U.S. at its Nashua, New Hampshire, and Austin, Texas, sites, with deliveries extending over the next decade. The system will equip F-35 variants across U.S. military branches and allied operators. The award underscores BAE’s central role in advancing EW capabilities that safeguard the F-35’s combat edge in high-threat theaters, reinforcing the fighter’s status as a cornerstone of 21st-century air dominance.
