Morocco’s F-16 Jets to Receive Advanced "Viper Shield" Electronic Warfare System

In an interview with Breaking Defense, on the sidelines of the Dubai air show, Anna Gragossian, who heads the development of the American company L3Harris’ activities, said that the American "Viper Shield" system should reach a development milestone in December and that the next stage of the program should demonstrate the first capabilities of the radar warning receiver (RWR) using representative production hardware. According to her explanations, this electronic warfare system allows to identify "threats", offers "self-protection" and allows "to jam the signals" of opponents. The system has demonstrated its ability to repel "current threats" in a US Air Force study, she added, stating that Viper Shield has been developed in partnership with the US Air Force and Lockheed.

Morocco will equip its 25 new F-16 block 70/72 aircraft designed by Lockheed Martin with the Viper Shield. The system is expected to be delivered to the kingdom, Bahrain, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Taiwan in 2025. The acquisition of the Viper Shield EW is part of an agreement concluded between the central administration of Morocco and the aerospace and defense company L3Harris.