WASHINGTON, March 19: The Pentagon has awarded a $78.2 million contract to a private manufacturer to supply Pakistan with electronic warfare systems for F-16 fighter jets.

The purchase will be made under the Foreign Military Sales Programme.

In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, the Pentagon identified the contractor as ITT Avionics of Chandler Arizona, which has over 50 years of multi-platform experience in electronic warfare.

ITT provides technologies, systems and services to strategic, tactical and special operations aircraft.

Pakistan has selected the ALQ-211(V) 4 Advanced Integrated Defence Electronics Warfare System known by its acronym AIDEWS.

The Pentagon said the electronic warfare system will be used on the F-16 aircraft Pakistan is buying from the United States.

ITT will also supply associated spares with the AIDEW system, support equipment, training, engineering services, flight test support and data.

Pakistan has already provided $39,003,041 to ITT for this contract.

The warfare will be installed at the aircraft at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico.

The contract had a positive impact on ITT’s shares in the New York Stock Exchange, which rose $1.61 to $54.85 on Tuesday.

The United States agreed to sell an unspecified number of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan in February, 2007. Pakistan initially showed interest in buying 88 aircraft but later reduced the number to between 30 and 40.

AIDEWS provides electronic countermeasures and other capabilities for F-16s.

Recently, the ALQ-211 (V) 4 system was installed and integrated aboard 10 Peace Puma F-16s delivered to Chile.

“This integrated radar warning receiver/jammer, with its dual receiver architecture is the first new tactical electronic warfare system for fighter applications in years,” says ITT Electronic Systems President Chris Bernhardt. “This new digital technology results in more effective defence against threats to warfighters.”

AIDEWS also provides a fighter pilot with situational awareness and protection against radar-based threats, including modern surface-to-air and air-to-air weapon systems. It is built upon the ALQ-211 family of EW Systems now being used to support US Special Operations forces.

This version of the ALQ-211 utilises advanced wideband and digital receivers to quickly and accurately detect and identify several, complex emitters when operating in today’s high-density threat environment, says Henry Bourne, director of ITT’s Rotary Wing EW business area.

AIDEWS provides protection using a highly flexible, programmable technique generator that transmits deceptive countermeasure signals and coordinates use of chaff and flares.

The ALQ-211 alerts the pilot to foil radar threats by seeing the radar before it sees him, says John Dench, director of marketing for ITT Electronic Systems.