Morocco Joins Elite Group: F-16s Upgraded with Cutting-Edge Viper Shield Electronic Warfare System

Bahrain, Bulgaria, Jordan, Morocco, Slovakia, and Taiwan have already ordered one hundred and sixty-eight Viper Shield systems, according to the American company L3Harris Technologies, which specializes in military surveillance equipment, directed energy weapons, and electronic warfare. This device has been under development for more than five years. It consists of two major components: a radar warning receiver to detect threats in the radio frequency spectrum, and an electronic countermeasures system responsible for jamming these hostile signals. Thanks to this jamming capability and its rapid reaction, pilots enjoy autonomous protection that allows them to get closer to enemy defenses.

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"Viper Shield provides the essential level of protection on the modern battlefield," said Travis Ruhl, Director of International Development and Electronic Warfare Systems Specialist at L3Harris Space & Airborne Systems, to Asian Military Review. Currently, the system is integrated into the new generation F-16V Block 70/72. However, its ALQ-254V(2) version is housed in an external pod, and can be easily adapted to F-16s already in service. "This modularity makes it an attractive solution for several Asian countries such as Indonesia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand," it is stated.

"We expect to announce the first retrofit contract soon, which would open up an entirely new market," Ruhl said. According to him, this external configuration can equip, if necessary, various aircraft within the same fleet.