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L3Harris Starts Producing Viper Shield EW Suite for F-16 Aircraft
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L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (LHX - Free Report) recently revealed that it has started manufacturing its Viper Shield all-digital electronic warfare (EW) suite for F-16 fighter planes, achieving a significant milestone in the electromagnetic spectrum. This should strengthen L3Harris’ already established footprint in the EW market.
Six nations' F-16 fleets will receive the Viper Shield from LHX, which is currently in production at the company’s manufacturing site based in Clifton, NJ.
A Brief Note on LHX’s Viper Shield
To give U.S. allies state-of-the-art defenses against complex, dynamic threats, L3Harris is working with Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Air Force to build the new AN/ALQ-254(V)1 Viper Shield. With the help of this cutting-edge EW system, which will surround the aircraft with an electronic shield, warfighters will be able to safely complete missions in ever-more complicated warfare scenarios.
With a fully integrated, internally mounted system, Viper Shield's software-defined technology components offer digital radar threat warning capabilities never seen before in a threat and powerful digital countermeasure capabilities. To provide improved situational awareness, its sophisticated digital radar warning receiver technology smoothly combines with the aircraft's new APG-83 active electronically scanned array radar.
Compared to EW systems from earlier generations, Viper Shield has fewer essential parts in its design. This leads to a lower lifespan cost, a longer mean time between failure, a smaller form factor and less weight.
LHX’s Growth Opportunities
Countries globally have been reinforcing their military resources due to intense geopolitical tensions and amplified terrorist threats. Evolving threats from advanced missile systems and sophisticated radar technologies have led to a rise in demand for the airborne electronic warfare market.
This must have prompted the Mordor Intelligence firm to project a CAGR of 3.5% for the airborne electronic warfare market in the 2024-2029 period. Such growth prospects should benefit L3 Harris, which has been providing EW solutions to its customers for almost 60 years.
In airborne EW solutions, the company offers a handful of other products like its ALQ-211 family of self-protection EW systems, which detects, denies, disrupts, degrades and evades lethal threats and provides multi-spectral (radio frequency, infrared and laser) situational awareness. The ALQ-211 is being utilized by F-16 fighters for Chile, Poland, Pakistan, Turkey and Oman.
Prospects of LHX’s Peers
Other defense contractors that are likely to gain from the growth potential provided by the airborne electronic warfare market are listed below:
Lockheed Martin (LMT - Free Report) : The company’s Advanced Off-Board Electronic Warfare (“AOEW”) program provides constant electronic surveillance (detection) and assault (countermeasure) capabilities against naval threats such as anti-ship missiles (ASM). Lockheed Martin's AOEW Active Mission Payload AN/ALQ-248 system is a self-contained EW pod mounted on an MH-60R or MH-60S Seahawk helicopter that provides the Navy with improved ASM detection and response capabilities.
LMT has a long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate of 4.7%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2024 sales indicates year-over-year growth of 5.3%.
BAE Systems (BAESY - Free Report) : It has almost 60 years of expertise in creating EW systems for military, intelligence and head-of-state aircraft. The company's Storm EW spectrum warfare suite provides cutting-edge electronic warfare (EW) capabilities to any combat aircraft, boosting lethality and survivability.
BAESY has a long-term earnings growth rate of 12.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2024 sales indicates year-over-year growth of 36.3%.
Northrop Grumman (NOC - Free Report) : The company’s AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite provides F-16 EW capabilities comparable to fifth-generation aircraft. This improves survivability for missions in contested and congested electromagnetic spectrum situations.
Northrop has a long-term earnings growth rate of 8.7%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2024 sales indicates year-over-year growth of 5.4%.
LHX Stock Price Movement
In the past six months, shares of L3Harris have risen 8.7% compared with the industry’s growth of 1.4%.
L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (LHX - Free Report) recently revealed that it has started manufacturing its Viper Shield all-digital electronic warfare (EW) suite for F-16 fighter planes, achieving a significant milestone in the electromagnetic spectrum. This should strengthen L3Harris’ already established footprint in the EW market.
Six nations' F-16 fleets will receive the Viper Shield from LHX, which is currently in production at the company’s manufacturing site based in Clifton, NJ.
A Brief Note on LHX’s Viper Shield
To give U.S. allies state-of-the-art defenses against complex, dynamic threats, L3Harris is working with Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Air Force to build the new AN/ALQ-254(V)1 Viper Shield. With the help of this cutting-edge EW system, which will surround the aircraft with an electronic shield, warfighters will be able to safely complete missions in ever-more complicated warfare scenarios.
With a fully integrated, internally mounted system, Viper Shield's software-defined technology components offer digital radar threat warning capabilities never seen before in a threat and powerful digital countermeasure capabilities. To provide improved situational awareness, its sophisticated digital radar warning receiver technology smoothly combines with the aircraft's new APG-83 active electronically scanned array radar.
Compared to EW systems from earlier generations, Viper Shield has fewer essential parts in its design. This leads to a lower lifespan cost, a longer mean time between failure, a smaller form factor and less weight.
LHX’s Growth Opportunities
Countries globally have been reinforcing their military resources due to intense geopolitical tensions and amplified terrorist threats. Evolving threats from advanced missile systems and sophisticated radar technologies have led to a rise in demand for the airborne electronic warfare market.
This must have prompted the Mordor Intelligence firm to project a CAGR of 3.5% for the airborne electronic warfare market in the 2024-2029 period. Such growth prospects should benefit L3 Harris, which has been providing EW solutions to its customers for almost 60 years.
In airborne EW solutions, the company offers a handful of other products like its ALQ-211 family of self-protection EW systems, which detects, denies, disrupts, degrades and evades lethal threats and provides multi-spectral (radio frequency, infrared and laser) situational awareness. The ALQ-211 is being utilized by F-16 fighters for Chile, Poland, Pakistan, Turkey and Oman.
Prospects of LHX’s Peers
Other defense contractors that are likely to gain from the growth potential provided by the airborne electronic warfare market are listed below:
Lockheed Martin (LMT - Free Report) : The company’s Advanced Off-Board Electronic Warfare (“AOEW”) program provides constant electronic surveillance (detection) and assault (countermeasure) capabilities against naval threats such as anti-ship missiles (ASM). Lockheed Martin's AOEW Active Mission Payload AN/ALQ-248 system is a self-contained EW pod mounted on an MH-60R or MH-60S Seahawk helicopter that provides the Navy with improved ASM detection and response capabilities.
LMT has a long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate of 4.7%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2024 sales indicates year-over-year growth of 5.3%.
BAE Systems (BAESY - Free Report) : It has almost 60 years of expertise in creating EW systems for military, intelligence and head-of-state aircraft. The company's Storm EW spectrum warfare suite provides cutting-edge electronic warfare (EW) capabilities to any combat aircraft, boosting lethality and survivability.
BAESY has a long-term earnings growth rate of 12.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2024 sales indicates year-over-year growth of 36.3%.
Northrop Grumman (NOC - Free Report) : The company’s AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite provides F-16 EW capabilities comparable to fifth-generation aircraft. This improves survivability for missions in contested and congested electromagnetic spectrum situations.
Northrop has a long-term earnings growth rate of 8.7%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s 2024 sales indicates year-over-year growth of 5.4%.
LHX Stock Price Movement
In the past six months, shares of L3Harris have risen 8.7% compared with the industry’s growth of 1.4%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
LHX’s Zacks Rank
LHX currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.