Japan to Fund $35.45 Million for SLQ-32(V)6 Surface Electronic Warfare System Production via Foreign Military Sales; U.S. Department of War Modifies $74.29 Million Contract Bundled with Canada's Share

WASHINGTON

Japan is paying $35,448,507 for the production of the AN/SLQ-32(V)6 surface ship electronic warfare system under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The U.S. Department of War stated in a contract announcement on Oct. 14 (U.S. time) that this amount was allocated for Japan's share at the time of award. The Department of War awarded a $74,294,440 firm-fixed-price contract modification to Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems (Liverpool, New York), noting that the award date was Oct. 9. This contract combines purchases for the government of Canada (52%), Japan (47%), and the U.S. Coast Guard (1%).

Department of War Awards $74,294,440 Firm-Fixed-Price Contract Modification to Lockheed Martin

The Department of War stated that Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems will produce AN/SLQ-32(V)6 systems under the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) through a firm-fixed-price modification to previous contract N00024-20-C-5503. The contracting activity for this contract is the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Washington, D.C.

Work will be performed in Liverpool, New York (78%), and Lansdale, Pennsylvania (22%), and is expected to be completed by September 2029. The Department of War stated that, of the total, Canada's share of $38,388,165 (52%) and Japan's share of $35,448,507 (47%) were obligated at the time of award from fiscal 2026 FMS funds, while the Coast Guard's share of $457,768 (1%) was obligated from fiscal 2025 procurement, construction, and improvements funds. The three amounts combined equal the contract modification value of $74,294,440. These funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year, the Department of War said.

The combined FMS funding for Canada and Japan totals $73,836,672, accounting for the vast majority of the contract modification.

SLQ-32(V)6 Is a System That Detects Electronic Signals for Anti-Ship Missile Defense

According to the U.S. Navy, SEWIP is an evolutionary acquisition program to upgrade the SLQ-32(V) electronic warfare system in phases. According to a Navy fact file (updated Sept. 20, 2021), as of 2016, 234 units across six variants of the system were deployed worldwide. There were 126 units on U.S. Navy ships, 17 on Coast Guard ships, and 91 transferred under Foreign Military Sales to 12 nations.

The Navy designated Block 1, Block 2, and Block 3 as Acquisition Category (ACAT) II programs. The Navy stated that SEWIP Block 2 upgrades the Electronic Support (ES) capabilities of the SLQ-32. It incorporates upgraded ES antennas, receivers, and an open combat system interface, which the Navy noted is required to pace the threat and improve detection capabilities and accuracy. SEWIP Block 2 entered full-rate production in September 2016. The Navy stated that Block 1 provides improvements in anti-ship missile defense, counter targeting, and counter surveillance capabilities while mitigating diminishing manufacturing sources issues, and Block 3 provides a common Electronic Attack (EA) capability to all surface combatants that use the active variants of the SLQ-32. Block 3 leverages technology developed under the Office of Naval Research's (ONR) Integrated Topside (InTop) Science and Technology program, and the Navy classified this block as being in the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase. Block 4 is a future plan to add electro-optic and infrared capabilities. The Navy stated that SEWIP was established in July 2002 as an evolutionary acquisition program following the cancellation of the Advanced Integrated Electronic Warfare System (AIEWS).

In the notification, the Department of Defense stated that the system enhances anti-ship missile defense, counter targeting, counter surveillance, and situational awareness through improved Electronic Support detection and accuracy capabilities, and delivers electronic warfare sensor tracks to the Aegis Combat System. The notification covers the addition of two AN/SLQ-32(V)6 electronic warfare systems as major defense equipment items, alongside two Aegis Weapon Systems and two AN/SPQ-9B horizon search radars, to the Government of Japan.

Government of Japan Was Subject of Notification Adding Two SLQ-32(V)6 Systems to Two Aegis Systems

The Department of Defense published this notification in the Federal Register (89 FR 101576) in December 2024. The date reported to Congress was Dec. 14, 2023. The Department of Defense stated that it also submitted a separate notification to Congress on Sept. 12, 2019, replacing the navigation sensor interface with GPS-based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Service (GPNTS). The current notification adds items to a sale reported to Congress on Jan. 29, 2019, that included two Aegis Weapon Systems, two Multi-Mission Signal Processors, and construction services for six Vertical Launching System module enclosures (total estimated program cost of $2.15 billion, with $375 million in major defense equipment), with the additional items having a total estimated value of $570 million. The Department of Defense stated that, among these, the net increase in major defense equipment was $239 million and the net increase in non-major defense equipment was $331 million. The total case value increases to $2.72 billion, with major defense equipment accounting for $614 million, the Department of Defense stated.

The additional items include three Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) AN/USG-10 systems, two Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) shipboard terminals, one Command and Control Processor Tech Refresh system, AN/SQQ-89 undersea acoustic systems, towed multi-array sonars, and satellite communications terminals. The Department of Defense stated that the highest level of classification of defense articles and services included in this sale is SECRET.

According to the Department of Defense's sensitivity of technology explanation, the AN/SPQ-9B is a horizon search radar that detects and tracks low-radar-cross-section targets in heavy clutter environments and sends track data to the Aegis Combat System, with the radar processing unit classified as SECRET once integrated into the combat system. The Cooperative Engagement Capability AN/USG-10 fuses track data from shipboard and off-board sensors and distributes it to other CEC-equipped platforms. The AN/SQQ-89 is an anti-submarine warfare system used by Japan's Atago-class and Maya-class destroyers, combining active and passive acoustic data from hull- and bow-mounted arrays, the towed TB-37 array, and sonobuoys, the Department of Defense stated.

The Department of Defense stated that the sale supports Japan in developing and maintaining a strong and effective self-defense capability. The Department of Defense stated that the sale supports the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Asia-Pacific region.

Sources (KST)

• U.S. Department of War, "Contracts for Oct. 14, 2026" (Navy section, Oct. 14, 2026): https://www.war.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4625668/contracts-for-oct-14-2026/
• U.S. Navy, "Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP)" Fact File (updated Sept. 20, 2021): https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2167559/surface-electronic-warfare-improvement-program-sewip/
• Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), U.S. Department of Defense, "Arms Sales Notification" (Federal Register 89 FR 101576, published Dec. 16, 2024, Document Number 2024-29495): https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-12-16/html/2024-29495.htm