- The United States Air Force awarded BAE Systems a contract to support and upgrade the AN/ALQ-221 defensive system on U-2 reconnaissance aircraft with software updates and sustainment services.
- The upgrades aim to improve threat detection, electronic countermeasures, and survivability of the U-2 in contested airspace against evolving air defense systems.
The United States Air Force has awarded BAE Systems a contract to support and modernize the AN/ALQ-221 Advanced Defensive System installed on the U-2 Dragon Lady reconnaissance aircraft.
According to BAE Systems, the contract was issued by Robins Air Force Base in Georgia and includes ongoing field service support, system repairs, and software updates designed to enhance the aircraft’s electronic warfare capabilities.
The company stated that the upgrades will allow the AN/ALQ-221 system to detect and engage evolving threats, while maintaining system availability for operational use.
“The Advanced Defensive System for the U-2 is part of BAE Systems’ long legacy in electronic warfare,” said Tim Angulas, U-2 product area director at BAE Systems. “Evolving, modernizing, and sustaining EW systems is in our DNA. Our efforts ensure they can operate effectively throughout their lifecycles.”
The AN/ALQ-221 system provides integrated radar warning and electronic countermeasures, enabling U-2 pilots to identify and respond to threats during missions. The system combines long-range sensors with onboard processing to support situational awareness and self-protection.
These capabilities are particularly relevant for the U-2, which operates at high altitude but may still face advanced air defense systems capable of detecting and targeting long-range reconnaissance aircraft.
From a technical perspective, electronic warfare systems such as the AN/ALQ-221 function by detecting radar emissions and other signals from adversary systems. Once identified, the system can alert the pilot and deploy countermeasures, including electronic jamming or deception techniques, to reduce the effectiveness of those threats.
Software updates play a central role in maintaining effectiveness, as modern air defense systems continue to evolve. By updating threat libraries and signal processing algorithms, the system can recognize new radar signatures and adapt its response accordingly.
BAE Systems noted that it has continued to develop and refine the Advanced Defensive System over decades, making it an integral component of the U-2 modernization effort.
The aircraft’s modular design and open avionics architecture allow new capabilities to be integrated relatively quickly, supporting ongoing upgrades without requiring a complete redesign of the platform.
The U-2 Dragon Lady remains one of the U.S. Air Force’s key intelligence-gathering platforms, capable of conducting long-duration missions at high altitude to collect imagery and signals intelligence.
Maintaining its survivability in contested environments is essential as air defense systems become more capable and widely deployed.
According to the company, the AN/ALQ-221 system is supported by engineers and technicians at its facility in Nashua, New Hampshire, along with field service representatives responsible for maintaining operational readiness.