The U.S. Navy’s Next Generation Jammer Low Band (NGJ-LB) program successfully completed test events at two Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, facilities simultaneously and with limited staffing while remaining on schedule despite significant COVID-19 restrictions.

Airborne Electronic Attack Systems Program Office (PMA-234) NGJ-LB team was ready to begin its final Demonstration of Existing Technologies (DET) testing when COVID-19 restrictions were put into place.

USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) received the first production unit of the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) in April, nearly a month ahead of schedule.

This is the first of 23 JPALS initial low-rate initial production (LRIP) units delivering through fall 2023. The Navy awarded Raytheon a $234 million contract in May 2019 for 23 JPALS units to outfit the Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships.

The Navy is welcoming its next generation multi-mission tactical fighter by taking delivery of the first Block III F/A-18 Super Hornet test jets this month, as part of its continuing effort to improve aircraft lethality, survivability, interoperability and sustainability in an ever-evolving threat environment.

The U.S. Navy recently began the final Demonstration of Existing Technologies (DET) test period for the Next Generation Jammer Low Band (NGJ-LB) capability at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.

Tests are being conducted at the Air Combat Environmental Test and Evaluation Facility and the Facility for Antenna and RCS Measurement (FARM) through this summer. The 20-month DET contract has been a collaborative effort with industry partners to assess technical maturity.

The Naval Air Traffic Management Systems Program Office (PMA-213) completed precision approach and landing system (PALS) certification on USS Essex (LHD 2) in April and began installation of two landing systems aboard the Italian Navy ship, ITS Cavour, despite restrictions due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

A significant shortfall of arresting hook availability has been reversed, thanks to an incredible show of teamwork from F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265) team members as well as the NAVAIR and Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP).

This teamwork, including the organization and facilitation of an Arresting Hook Summit by PMA-265 personnel, allowed the program office to dramatically reduce numbers of Issue Priority Group 1 (IPG1) aircraft and arresting hook back orders, said Mark Harris, the PMA-265 Landing Gear deputy assistant program manager for logistics (DAPML).

With the fleet of Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) terminals slated to grow from hundreds to over 6000 by 2023, the MIDS Program Office (PMA-101) designed a strategy and initiatied the plan to avert potential depot maintenance support shortfalls.

Since 2005, F/A-18 Super Hornet Block II aircraft have been rolling off Boeing’s production line and serving as the U.S. Navy’s multi-mission capable workhorse. The service took delivery of the final Block II Super Hornet, closing out a run of 322 one-seater F/A-18Es and 286 two-seated F/A-18Fs, on April 17.

“Aircraft E322 will leave Boeing’s production line and head straight to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 34 based in [Naval Air Station] Oceana,” explained Cmdr. Tyler Tennille, of Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), who oversees Acceptance Testing.

One year after first hitting the fleet, a unique F/A-18 analytical tool, Hornet Health Assessment and Readiness Tool (HhART), continues to benefit the warfighter and demonstrate how a mix of big data analytics and engineering can serve as an accelerator for U.S. Navy aircraft readiness.

“This cutting edge technology will reduce unscheduled maintenance and make diagnostics and maintenance planning easier for the warfighter,” said Don Salamon, an engineer for the Physiological Episodes (PE) Integrated Product Team in the F/A-18 and EA-18G Program Office (PMA-265).

A new program manager took the lead of the Naval Undergraduate Flight Training Systems Program Office (PMA-273) March 26.

Capt. Holly Shoger assumed command from Capt. Todd St. Laurent during a small event in the PEO(T) program office including both captains, the Program Executive Officer for Tactical Aircraft Programs (PEO(T)), Rear Adm. Shane Gahagan, as well as the PEO(T) and PMA-273 deputies.

With the heightened Navywide Health Protection Condition in response to COVID-19, attendance to the change of command event was limited.