Navy Ship Electronic War Attacks on Offense

Kris Osborn

The service is now in the process of upgrading its existing SLQ-32 Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program, or SEWIP — an electronic warfare sensor now on many guided missile cruisers and destroyers.

SEWIP is designed to detect approaching threats, such as anti-ship cruise missiles, in time for ship commanders to take defensive or protective actions.

While much of the work on SEWIP is being done by large defense firms such as Northrop Grumman, the Navy recently awarded a $7 million deal to Virginia-based NexGen for procurement of an element of SEWIP called AN/SSX-1 Specific Emitter Identification System.

The SLQ-32 is a little panel that looks like an old electronic TV set with panels on the front. Navy developers have explained that certain countries on the Eurasian land mass are building weapons that a SLQ-32 will not detect.

Cruisers and destroyers unable to recognize approaching threats will be unable to deploy defensive measures such as decoys, service officials said.

The Navy needs to upgrade electronic warfare technology faster on more of its surface ships because potential enemies are developing weapons designed to penetrate defensive systems on many U.S.  cruisers and destroyers, service leaders said.

While Navy officials have not specified countries or provided details regarding these new weapons, they did say they were being engineered as multi-seeker weapons coming in at supersonic speed.