L3Harris electronic warfare system completes Safety of Flight testing

L3Harris Technologies completed Safety of Flight (SOF) qualification on its Viper Shield all-digital electronic warfare (EW) suite for F-16 fighter jets. The company will provide advanced capability to F-16 fleets for six international partners.

The Viper Shield system passed a series of environmental and electrical tests across structural integrity, thermal and electrical safety, and aircraft aerodynamics areas. Through the extensive SOF regimen, Viper Shield handled the stresses and strains of normal and extreme flight maneuvers, and the company proved it to be safe, reliable and effective on the aircraft.

“Completing the comprehensive SOF evaluation is a significant milestone for Viper Shield and for our growing list of global customers,” says Ed Zoiss, President, Space and Airborne Systems, L3Harris. “This critical electronic warfare system will begin flight testing soon, and we will start delivering the capability in late 2025.”

Viper Shield equips aircrews and commanders with situational awareness about the electronic landscape and helps them identify, locate and counter threats to enable survivability and lethality in the most challenging environments. It is the only advanced EW solution that is funded and in active production for international F-16 partners. By design, L3Harris engineered Viper Shield to allow for future capability upgrades, ensuring it can adjust to an evolving electromagnetic spectrum environment.