ITT Exelis received a $9.4 million contract from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, TX, to supply the Continuous Wave Illuminator (CWI) subsystem for the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The Exelis CWI subsystem is a special purpose transmitter that works with the aircraft fire control radar and mission computer to guide semi-active missiles when launched. Using RF (radio frequency) energy, the system illuminates airborne targets to ensure the missile finds its target.
“The CWI technology plays a critical role in the mission success of U.S. and allied warfighters,” said Joe Rambala, vice president and general manager of Exelis integrated electronic warfare systems. “We are proud to deliver a lighter, more powerful electronic warfare solution to our customer.”
This newly developed technology is less than half the volume and 60 percent of the weight of the legacy subsystem used on older fighter aircraft. The Exelis CWI subsystem uses the latest technology for its high-voltage power supply, digital control, microwave signal generation and power amplifier circuits.
Exelis Electronic Systems in Clifton, NJ, will perform the manufacturing work under this contract. Deliveries will be completed by December 2014.