The total value of the plan is estimated at US $ 10 billion in the coming decades. But if you ask both the CEO of Raytheon and the think tank analyst, the value of the next generation of jammer is more than that.
Almost two years have passed since the company won the $ 279.4 million contract for the technology development phase of the program, which will produce an advanced system to interfere with enemy signals from the EA-18G Growler aircraft. of the navy. CEO Thomas Kennedy (Thomas Kennedy) said NGJ plans to proceed as planned and costly, and is expected to start operations in 2021.
He said on an April 23 conference call with analysts to discuss first quarter results: "We see this plan has a long way to go." "Going forward, this will be Raytheon's very successful franchise plan."
The reason has a lot to do with the technology itself. Kennedy described it as an independent container that generates its own energy, which is converted into electrical energy to drive the jammer. Each Growler will have two pods, which are the Navy's electronic warfare platform. The NGJ system uses gallium nitride (a semiconductor compound that can be used to amplify the wireless power of radars, jammers, and other devices).
Kennedy said, "Ten years ago we invested in technology that helped us win the program."
As for the franchise, he said, it has clear potential to be sold to allies. But there are other opportunities, said Loren Thompson, COO of the Lexington Institute.
He said: “What Raytheon really wants to do with wave scramblers and other programs is to promote the integration of electronic warfare, cyber warfare and related disciplines into an integrated method of controlling the spectrum. DC to visible light. " "It will be. Revolutionary. When some defense contractors seem to be more concerned with share buybacks, Raytheon devotes a large portion of its income to technological development."
Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) spent 2.7% of its US $ 5.29 billion revenue on internal research and development during the last quarter, which is in line with a strategy of continuing to invest its own funds in “Make us Factors for Future Victors”. Kennedy said.
Although Kennedy also referred to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Tactical Boost Glide program, NGJ is the ultimate example of how this strategy works. The aim is to develop and demonstrate a technology so that the hypersonic air-launched “glide system” is launched like a ballistic missile, then quickly re-enters the atmosphere and glides towards the target.
"We have invested in this area. It provides us with the technology to win this advanced DARPA program." Kennedy said.
He also pointed out that underwater capabilities may be the same technology used by GPS jammer to support electronic warfare.
Thompson said: "Over time the jammer program will bring Raytheon at least $ 10 billion in sales." "If this helps the company consolidate its dominance in information warfare, the ultimate payoff could be several times that amount."