L3Harris Technologies has added Poland to its customer list for the Viper Shield electronic warfare (EW) system, with the equipment to be installed as part of a major upgrade for Warsaw’s fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters.
Announced on 28 August, the Foreign Military Sales deal represents the first success for the ALQ-254 Viper Shield via a retrofit order for in-service jets. L3Harris had already secured contracts to provide the technology for new-build F-16 Block 70/72s for Bahrain, Bulgaria, Jordan, Morocco, Slovakia and Taiwan.
“Viper Shield will equip Poland with the same advanced EW features available to other international allies operating the new F-16 Block 70[/72] variant,” the company says.
Ed Zoiss, president of the L3Harris Space and Airborne Systems, notes that Viper Shield “will enable pilots to identify, locate and counter rapidly evolving threats faster with enhanced success”.
Warsaw last month signed a $3.8 billion deal to modernise its Block 52+ fighters to Lockheed’s enhanced F-16V standard. Along with the integration of Viper Shield, work will also span the provision of Northrop Grumman APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam active electronically scanned array radars and Lockheed’s Sniper targeting pod.
The Polish air force operates a fleet of 35 single-seat F-16Cs and 12 D-models, with the type expected to remain in service for at least another 20 years. Another example – a 19-year-old jet, registered 4056 – was lost in a fatal accident at Radom in Poland on 28 August, during an aerobatic display rehearsal.
Meanwhile, L3Harris says it is “actively engaged in discussions with other US allies and partner nations” around further sales of Viper Shield, which it notes requires minimal aircraft modifications.
