L3Harris received an $876.4 million modification to continue developing the Navy's Next Generation Jammer Low Band system through fiscal 2031. The undefinitized, cost-plus-incentive-fee modification covers non-recurring tooling, demonstration pods, cybersecurity development, and logistics support.
What's happening
- L3Harris adds $876.4 million in scope to its underlying $587 million engineering and manufacturing development contract awarded in August 2024.
- Work spans fiscal 2026 through fiscal 2031 and includes non-recurring tooling, system demonstration test article pods, cybersecurity and system security development, and product logistics and software support.
- The modification is undefinitized and non-competitively procured, with $3.7 million obligated from Navy research, development, test and evaluation funds in fiscal 2026 and $23 million from Royal Australian Air Force cooperative funds.
- Salt Lake City, Utah hosts 43 percent of the work, with additional production at sites in Alabama, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Colorado, California, New York, Texas, and Australia.
Why it matters
- The modification sustains production ramp for the low-band pod, one of three electromagnetic-spectrum segments in the Next Generation Jammer program replacing the ALQ-99 aboard Navy and allied Growlers.
- Program continuity reduces schedule risk to early operational capability, initially planned for 2029, supporting tactical jamming against air and ground threats in contested environments.
- Australian co-funding and participation signal allied interoperability and cost-sharing in a multi-year development effort for NATO and Indo-Pacific operations.
- L3Harris consolidates its position in the NGJ low-band segment after winning the initial EMD contract in 2024 following years of litigation with Northrop Grumman.
Going deeper
- The Navy split Next Generation Jammer into three separate pod developments covering different frequency bands; Raytheon won mid-band in 2016, while high-band has remained unfunded since at least fiscal 2020.
- An earlier $496 million engineering and manufacturing development award to L3Harris in December 2020 covered aircraft-based external jamming system pods, establishing the company's baseline on the platform.
- The underlying $587 million 2024 contract required production of 11 pod simulators, 8 operational prototype pods, 4 jettison mass models, 2 captive mass models, 2 mission system prototypes, and 2 technique development systems.
Financial impact
- The modification adds to L3Harris revenue recognition over fiscal 2026 through fiscal 2031, with $3.7 million obligated in fiscal 2026 and $23 million in allied cooperative funds at time of award; total contract value is undefinitized pending completion of negotiation.
- As a cost-plus-incentive-fee contract, revenue will be recognized over performance period as costs are incurred, with fee based on achievement of performance targets set by Naval Air Systems Command.
The fine print
- The modification is undefinitized, meaning total contract value and final terms remain subject to negotiation and are not yet definitized.
- Work is non-competitively procured, avoiding full and open competition and reducing procurement timeline but limiting industry bid opportunity.
- Performance extends through fiscal 2031, creating a five-year obligation dependent on Navy budget execution and continued program priority.
Source: GovCon Wire · Sep 24, 2026 · Drafted with Claude, reviewed by Industrial Base Alpha.
