Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP)

Taking Back the Electromagnetic Spectrum

Detect, Deceive, Disrupt

The Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 3 is an upgrade to the legacy AN/SLQ-32 system, and provides game-changing capability for non-kinetic electronic attack options to the U.S. fleet. The advantage of this electronic attack system is that it provides a non-kinetic, soft-kill magazine to defeat inbound threats.

The AN/SLQ-32(V)7 SEWIP Block 3 system protects surface ships from anti-ship missiles, providing early detection, signal analysis and threat warning.

Northrop Grumman was awarded the follow-on production contract with the U.S. Navy in September 2020. The program is managed by the U.S. Navy Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS).

Electronic Warfare at Sea

Arming the Fleet with new electronic warfare (EW) systems and integrated ship defense remains a top priority for the Navy as threats continue to mature and evolve. Northrop Grumman is pushing the technological boundaries to bring a new set of advanced capabilities to the warfighter quickly and efficiently to meet urgent operational needs.

SEWIP Block 3, being developed by Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS), is the third in a series of incremental upgrades that adds an electronic attack (EA) capability to the AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare (EW) system to defend ships against anti-ship missiles.

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Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP)

The Electromagnetic Spectrum – A Distinct Warfighting Domain

Northrop Grumman has continued to invest in advanced capabilities in electromagnetic maneuver warfare (EMW) and has introduced a number of innovative approaches to harness the full potential of the SEWIP system.

In 2018, Northrop Grumman opened a multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art anechoic chamber, specifically designed for integration and testing of the SEWIP system's hardware and software.

Northrop Grumman’s SEWIP Block 3 system is inherently multifunction, creating an expanded mission set to defeat emergent threats and support the US Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) CONOPS. To keep pace with the rapid advances in technology, SEWIP Block 3 has an open, software defined architecture which can today enable communication enhancements and Information Operations, as well as support future upgrades such as Cognitive EW and AI/Machine Learning.

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Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), Joint All Domain Command (JADC2) and Control, and Project Overmatch

Northrop Grumman is bringing our expertise in electronic warfare across all domains to support the Fleet’s concept and vision of DMO to deliver a viable, NEXGEN solution at the speed of relevance. The ability to connect platforms, sensors, and shooters allows for actionable data sharing and more coordinated, secure communications, which enhances faster decision-making across the Fleet.

In a battlespace where data is a commodity, having one shared network across services will be the key to unite all platforms, sensors and weapons systems to create a single environment to execute distributed and fully integrated maritime operations. JADC2 and more recently, Navy’s Project Overmatch, are both focused on similar challenges.

At Northrop Grumman, we are designing for the future and leveraging digital, open architectures to quickly deliver affordable, high quality capabilities to the Fleet and our Joint Force. DMO requires both assured communications as well as resilient C2 to coordinate effects across the disaggregated force. Broad sharing of ISR data streams will enable a whole-of-force, multi-domain response with both kinetic and non-kinetic effects. Northrop Grumman leverages advanced technologies, close teamwork and a culture of innovation and trust that enable the Navy to deter aggression and maintain maritime superiority. We are creating the essential data elements and network architectures that increase survivability, lethality and battlespace awareness for the force. We continue to operationalize solutions to help make these concepts a reality to create a more connected Navy.

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Artist’s rendering of the SEWIP Block 3 System neutralizing a threat.