US Air Force completes first flight of L3Harris Viper Shield electronic warfare system

The L3Harris Technologies all-digital electronic warfare (EW) suite, Viper Shield, has completed its first flight in a single-seat Block 70 F-16 operated by the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Viper Shield provides the most advanced EW capability to F-16 fighter fleets for six international partners. 

“This flight launches the latest capability enhancement for the F-16 and our warfighters. The Viper Shield system combined with a Block 70 airframe creates a leap in capability compared to the traditional Block 50 Viper I grew up flying,” says Maj. Anthony Pipe, F-16 Experimental Test Pilot, U.S. Air Force. “The EW advancements this system brings will ensure pilots flying these aircraft continue to make it home.”

The flight included a series of risk reduction tests related to the mission computer and other avionic subsystems compatibility, as well as interoperability with the APG-83 active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar.

“Our building block approach to test hardware and software in labs, demonstrate functionality in dense radio frequency environments and validate the EW system on the ground prepared us for Viper Shield’s successful first flight,” says Ed Zoiss, President, Space and Airborne Systems, L3Harris. “With this milestone, we are ready to continue flight testing and deliver systems in late 2025 as Viper Shield is the only advanced EW solution that is funded and in active production for international F-16 partners.”

Viper Shield is a low-risk, low-cost system that counters modern radar threats with immediate detection and advanced jamming responses to disrupt the adversary’s kill chain. Unlike other EW system providers, Viper Shield will integrate across all F-16 Blocks with minimal modifications to the aircraft, and it is fully configurable with both the current Mission Modular Computer and the Next Generation Mission Computer.