L3Harris finishes first F-16 shield systems for allies

L3Harris Technologies has finished building the first 35 units of an electronic warfare system designed to protect F-16 fighter jets from radar-guided missiles and other threats, the company announced, marking the start of full production after years of development.

The system, called Viper Shield and officially designated the AN/ALQ-254(V)1, detects and jams enemy radar signals to help F-16 pilots avoid being tracked or hit. L3Harris builds it in two forms: mounted inside the aircraft or carried as an external pod, and the company said it also assembled its first pod using the same production line. Eight allied nations have now ordered the system, and L3Harris is ramping up toward full-rate production to fill a combined order of 233 units.

Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Air Force selected L3Harris in 2021 to build Viper Shield specifically for the newest version of the F-16, the Block 70/72, which Lockheed sells primarily to foreign buyers rather than the U.S. military. The system pairs a digital radar warning receiver with a jamming technique known as digital radio frequency memory, which can mimic and confuse enemy radar signals, and it’s built to work with the F-16’s newer APG-83 radar as well as older F-16 models already in service.

Confirmed Viper Shield customers include Bahrain, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Morocco, Taiwan and Poland, along with Peru, which selected the system in August for a fleet of 12 new F-16 Block 70 jets that will replace its aging Mirage 2000s and Russian-made MiG-29s. L3Harris has not named the eighth country in the program.

“The $1 billion shared investment by countries operating F-16s means the U.S. Air Force and National Guard could benefit from joining the program,” said Chris Aebli, president of Communications & Spectrum Dominance at L3Harris. “The foreign investment is funding development, lab testing, flight testing and current production of Viper Shield systems, which presents the United States with a savings opportunity to avoid upfront costs.”

That $1 billion figure reflects the combined value of orders placed by the eight partner nations so far, and L3Harris has said it’s in discussions with additional countries that could add another $1.5 billion in demand. Because those foreign orders are already funding the system’s development and manufacturing line, the U.S. Air Force could potentially adopt Viper Shield later without covering the upfront research and testing costs itself, something L3Harris has pointed to as a selling point for eventual American use.