Raytheon confirmed that Australia has received last year its first Next Generation Jammer pods to replace the ALQ-99 pods currently used by the RAAF’s EA-18G Growlers.
Raytheon has confirmed on Apr. 20, 2026, that the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has received the first Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) pods to equip its EA-18G Growler fleet. The announcement follows photos of an Australian Growler which was carrying the ALQ-249 NGJ-MB (Mid-Band) in December 2025.
The company said that the “first delivery of shipsets occurred ahead of schedule in September 2025, with future deliveries continuing through 2026.” Australia already figured in the contract awarded in December 2024 for the production of the pod, with four pairs meant for the RAAF.
The company describes the pod as “an airborne electronic attack system containing active electronically scanned arrays that radiate in the mid-band frequency range.” While not explicitly stated, this further confirms that the pod delivered is the NGJ-MB.
“This delivery marks a significant milestone in our collaborative efforts with the U.S. Navy and RAAF on NGJ,” said Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon. “This advanced technology will greatly enhance RAAF’s electronic warfare capabilities, safeguarding vital assets on its aircraft and more effectively neutralizing adversary technologies across a wide range of missions.”
Raytheon noted that NGJ is a cooperative development and production program with the RAAF. In fact, Australia has been cooperating with the U.S. Navy since 2017 for the development and production of both the NGJ-MB and NGJ-LB (Next Generation Jammer – Low Band) pods, further expanding the cooperation in 2020.
The service is also the only foreign operator of the EA-18G, although it does only use them from land bases, contrary to the U.S. Navy. The RAAF operates 12 Growlers, assigned to No. 6 Squadron based at RAAF Base Amberley.
The NGJ program
The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) describes the NGJ as the next step in Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA). The NGJ project is developing a replacement for the AN/ALQ-99 TJS (Tactical Jamming System) currently equipped by the EA-18G Growler, the specialized electronic warfare variant of the Super Hornet.
The AN/ALQ-99 is a very old platform, which first entered service in 1972 on the now-retired EA-6B Prowler, and thus may not be able to cover the full spectrum of EW that is required to neutralize today’s threats, especially in the current network-centric warfare. The pod also has several shortcomings, including interfering with friendly radars, being a significant load on the airframe, and imposing a high workload on the two-man crew of the Growler.
The entire NGJ family includes three different pods, designated NGJ-MB (Mid Band), also known as Capability Block/Increment 1; NGJ-LB (Low Band), aka Block/Increment 2; and NGJ-HB (High Band), aka Block/Increment 3; and directed specifically against the low- (100 MHz to 2 GHz waveband), mid- (2 GHz to 6 GHz), and high-band (6 GHz to 18 GHz) sections of the overall threat spectrum.
The AN/ALQ-249 NGJ-MB
The AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) is a cutting-edge EW (Electronic Warfare) pod that denies, disrupts and degrades advanced radar threats, communications, data links and non-traditional radio frequency threats. The system, according to Raytheon, reduces adversary targeting ranges, disrupts adversary kill chains and supports kinetic weapons until they reach their target.
The NGJ-MB utilizes a fully digital, software-defined design, so the system offers rapid adaptability to emerging threats. It also has a modular architecture, simplifying maintenance and enabling future upgrades, ensuring that the system remains relevant throughout its service life.
The jammer employs AESA antennas, which allow for highly focused and dynamic jamming beams. This precision enhances effectiveness while minimizing interference with friendly systems. In addition to jamming, the NGJ-MB also supports electronic intelligence collection, battlefield network disruption, and the suppression of enemy air defenses.
In the 2024 Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) report, it was mentioned the NGJ-MB has four EA mission profiles: standoff, modified escort, penetrating escort, and stand-in jamming. Navy aircrews will primarily fly the standoff and modified escort profiles, according to the document.
The system has reached the initial operational capability (IOC) in December 2024 with the U.S. Navy. On that occasion, the service said the NGJ-MB brings “a quantum leap in capability over legacy systems with drastic increases in power, target flexibility and jamming technique for naval aviation operations worldwide.”
The Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 133, assigned to Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW) 9 aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, became the first in the Navy to deploy with the new pod and use it in combat. The service said at the time that the Wizards demonstrated the future of Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) by developing new tactics, achieving the first NGJ arrested landing, and tactically employing the system.
