Raytheon, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation, was awarded a $590 million follow-on contract on December 6, 2024, for the production of the Next Generation Jammer–Mid Band (NGJ-MB) pod. The contract award comes as the U.S. Navy is working to declare the initial operational capability (IOC) of the pod by the end of the year and move to full-rate production.It’s worth noting that the initial Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) contract was awarded in 2016. The first pod was delivered to the Navy for testing in 2019, with the first production units arriving in July 2023.The pods are meant for the Boeing EA-18G Growler, the specialized carrier-capable electronic warfare aircraft based on the two-seat Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet.The latest contract covers 13 sets of two pods each, with nine pairs allocated to the U.S. Navy and four pairs designated for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The RAAF, the only foreign operator of the EA-18G Growler, has collaborated with the U.S. Navy on the development and production of this pod.In this video, Defense Updates analyzes how the new NGJ-MB Pod would enhance the effectiveness of EA-18G Growler ?#defenseupdates #EA18GGrowler #NGJ-MBPod Chapters:00:11 INTRODUCTION02:35 NGJ-MB Pod 04:56 NGJ-MB Capabilities07:07 ANALYSIS