NGJ-MB IOT&E delays continue

Hardware reliability issues and a lack of modeling are largely to blame for delays facing the Navy's Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band, according to an annual report released Thursday by the Pentagon's director of operational test and evaluation.

The DOT&E has not yet cleared the program to conduct initial operational test and evaluation due to “system immaturity,” the report notes. NGJ-MB was previously expected to clear this barrier in August 2023, and a Navy spokesperson told Inside Defense in October that testing and data collection were ongoing.

In January, a Navy spokesperson told Inside Defense that initial operational capability for NGJ-MB had once again been pushed back to spring of 2024, following the completion of IOT&E.

“Hardware reliability issues and a lack of validated or accredited digital models, which are derived from operational test data and are required to supplement NGJ-MB operational flight test evaluation, present a significant risk to NGJ-MB IOT&E,” the report said.

The NGJ-MB consists of two pods located under EA-18G aircraft wings and is the first of three programs meant to replace the AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jammer System currently used by the aircraft.

In its report, DOT&E encourages the development and assessment of digital models of integrated test events to provide data necessary for modeling and simulation verification, validation and accreditation. Above all, DOT&E requests the program submit an IOT&E test plan for approval.