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SEWIP (AN/SLQ-32)

The U.S. Navy's shipboard electronic-warfare backbone — a long-running AN/SLQ-32 modernization program that detects, classifies and, in newer blocks, jams radar-guided anti-ship threats.

3 Jul 2026
SEWIP (AN/SLQ-32)
FIG.01 · USA FILE PHOTO
The U.S. Navy's shipboard electronic-warfare backbone — a long-running AN/SLQ-32 modernization program that detects, classifies and, in newer blocks, jams radar-guided anti-ship threats.

Overview

SEWIP, the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program, is the U.S. Navy's incremental modernization path for the AN/SLQ-32 shipboard electronic-warfare suite. The original AN/SLQ-32, nicknamed "Slick 32," was fielded as a surface-ship threat-warning and jamming family; SEWIP keeps that architecture relevant through block upgrades rather than replacing it outright. The Navy describes SEWIP as a program for early detection, signal analysis, threat warning, counter-targeting and counter-surveillance against anti-ship missile threats and their supporting radars, with the program managed through PEO Integrated Warfare Systems and NAVSEA Navy Fact File.

The system is not a single frozen configuration. Legacy AN/SLQ-32 variants span passive warning receivers and active-jamming suites; SEWIP Block 2, formally AN/SLQ-32(V)6 and AN/SLQ-32C(V)6 for the scaled "SEWIP Lite" configuration, upgrades electronic support and combat-system integration; SEWIP Block 3, AN/SLQ-32(V)7, adds modern electronic attack for non-kinetic "soft-kill" defense. As of 2026, Block 2 and Block 3 are both in production or fielding, with Lockheed Martin leading Block 2 and Northrop Grumman leading Block 3 Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman.

Development

The AN/SLQ-32 lineage began in the early 1970s, after the 1967 sinking of the Israeli destroyer INS Eilat by Soviet-built Styx anti-ship missiles highlighted the surface-fleet vulnerability to radar-guided sea-skimming weapons. The Chief of Naval Operations authorized development of a lower-cost electronic-warfare suite in 1972 to replace or augment the older AN/WLR-1, and the Navy awarded Raytheon the first production contract in May 1977; initial operational capability followed in FY1979 FAS/Military Analysis Network.

Baseline AN/SLQ-32 variants reflected ship size and mission. The (V)1 was a basic threat-warning receiver for auxiliaries; the (V)2 added passive detection of higher-frequency targeting and fire-control radars; the (V)3 added active jamming antennas for targeting radars and missile terminal seekers; and the (V)4 paired two (V)3 systems for aircraft carriers Wikipedia. The formative operational lesson came on 17 May 1987, when USS Stark, equipped with the passive-only AN/SLQ-32(V)2, was struck by two Iraqi-fired Exocet missiles in the Persian Gulf, killing 37 sailors. The incident did not prove a failed jamming engagement, because Stark's configuration lacked active jamming by design; it did expose the risk of passive-only installations and drove the rapid "Sidekick" jamming module that became part of the compact (V)5 frigate fit FAS/Military Analysis Network.

SEWIP itself emerged after the Navy cancelled the more ambitious Advanced Integrated Electronic Warfare System planned for DD(X)/DDG-1000. The Navy established SEWIP as an ACAT II program of record in July 2002 to improve the existing AN/SLQ-32 fleet through incremental blocks, with Block 1 addressing obsolescence and near-term anti-ship missile defense improvements, Block 2 rebuilding electronic support, and Block 3 adding a new electronic-attack layer USNI Proceedings.

Design & capabilities

SEWIP is a shipboard electronic-warfare suite rather than a weapon launcher. Its primary function is to sense hostile electromagnetic emissions, identify and classify threat radars, provide warning and targeting context to the combat system, and, in active-jamming configurations, interfere with hostile targeting or missile terminal guidance. Open-source descriptions of the legacy AN/SLQ-32 architecture emphasize a Rotman-lens-fed multi-beam array intended for near-instantaneous azimuth coverage, simultaneous response to multiple threats and high probability of intercept across the threat band Radartutorial.eu.

SEWIP Block 2, designated AN/SLQ-32(V)6, is the core electronic-support upgrade. It introduces a new antenna and receiver group, enhanced processing and an open interface to the ship combat system, allowing the suite to detect, identify and track anti-ship missile and targeting-radar threats while supporting soft-kill and hard-kill coordination through the combat system DOT&E FY2024. Lockheed Martin describes Block 2 and SEWIP Lite as open-architecture systems that integrate with Aegis and other combat-system environments, with more than 150 AN/SLQ-32(V)6 and AN/SLQ-32C(V)6 ship sets delivered to the U.S. Navy by its 2026 brochure baseline Lockheed Martin.

SEWIP Block 3, designated AN/SLQ-32(V)7, adds electronic attack to the Block 2 architecture. Northrop Grumman describes it as a non-kinetic capability for countering radar-guided anti-ship missiles and hostile land-based, shipboard and airborne radars Northrop Grumman. Public reporting identifies gallium-nitride active electronically scanned array technology as a key enabler for the wideband jamming function, although detailed power, frequency and technique data remain classified or not publicly established Military Aerospace Electronics.

Variants

  • AN/SLQ-32(V)1 — passive threat-warning receiver used on auxiliaries and lower-end ships in the original family.
  • AN/SLQ-32(V)2 — passive electronic-support variant with higher-frequency threat detection for targeting and fire-control radars; no active jamming.
  • AN/SLQ-32(V)3 — active-jamming variant for larger surface combatants, adding antennas for targeting-radar and missile-seeker jamming.
  • AN/SLQ-32(V)4 — aircraft-carrier configuration using two (V)3-type systems tied through common control.
  • AN/SLQ-32(V)5 — frigate fit combining a compact (V)2 core with the Sidekick active-jamming module after the USS Stark lessons FAS/Military Analysis Network.
  • AN/SLQ-32(V)6 / SEWIP Block 2 — Lockheed Martin-led electronic-support upgrade with new antennas, receivers, processing and combat-system integration.
  • AN/SLQ-32C(V)6 / SEWIP Lite — scaled Block 2 electronic-support configuration for smaller ships such as Littoral Combat Ships and U.S. Coast Guard cutters Lockheed Martin.
  • AN/SLQ-32(V)7 / SEWIP Block 3 — Northrop Grumman-led electronic-attack upgrade adding wideband soft-kill jamming to the Block 2 baseline.

Combat record / operational use

No public source attributes a confirmed missile defeat specifically to AN/SLQ-32 or SEWIP jamming. The system's best-documented combat relevance is instead its role in threat warning, combat-system cueing and post-incident fleet adaptation. The 1987 USS Stark attack remains the key historical lesson: the ship's passive-only (V)2 fit could not jam the incoming Exocet missiles, and the Navy responded by fielding the Sidekick active-jamming module and (V)5 configuration for frigates FAS/Military Analysis Network.

In the Red Sea during 2023–2024, U.S. Navy destroyers defending against Houthi anti-ship missiles and drones used AN/SLQ-32 as an early layer in the engagement chain. Public reporting describes the suite detecting emissions from missile targeting radars, alerting operators, comparing signals with an emitter library and providing classification or bearing context that could precede detection by the ship's own search radar in some scenarios Popular Mechanics. That account supports SEWIP's operational warning role, but it does not establish a verified tally of missiles defeated by SLQ-32 electronic attack alone.

Operational testing remains an important caveat. DOT&E reported that the Navy conducted no operational test of any SEWIP Block 2 variant's effectiveness or suitability in FY2024 because ship and test resources were limited DOT&E FY2024. That does not mean the system is ineffective; it means the public record has a thinner test-and-evaluation base than its fleet importance might suggest.

Advantages

  • Provides the ship's passive warning layer against radar-guided anti-ship threats, allowing detection, classification and combat-system cueing without emitting.
  • Block 2 modernizes antennas, receivers and processing while preserving fleet compatibility across multiple ship classes Lockheed Martin.
  • Block 3 adds a reusable non-kinetic defensive layer, potentially reducing dependence on finite and expensive missile interceptors in saturation environments.
  • Open-architecture integration with ship combat systems supports coordination between soft-kill decoys, electronic attack and hard-kill weapons DOT&E FY2024.
  • Incremental block modernization lets the Navy upgrade a large installed base rather than wait for a single all-new fleetwide replacement.

Drawbacks / limitations

  • A confirmed combat kill record attributable specifically to SEWIP jamming is not publicly established; public Red Sea reporting documents warning and classification, not a named soft-kill defeat.
  • Block 3 installation is materially more invasive than a software-only upgrade, requiring ship-integration work, cooling and configuration changes on constrained topside real estate.
  • Unit cost is not publicly established because public contract figures bundle ship sets, spares, options, engineering services and support.
  • DOT&E identified a FY2024 operational-test gap for Block 2 variants due to limited ship and test resources DOT&E FY2024.
  • Legacy AN/SLQ-32 configurations are uneven: passive-only variants such as the original (V)2 lack the active-jamming capability associated with later soft-kill defense.

Counterparts

  • Scorpius (IL naval/SDR EW) — AESA-based electronic-warfare family with naval and multi-domain applications.
  • Krasukha-4 (RU ground EW) — ground-based broadband jamming system aimed at airborne surveillance radars and related links rather than ship self-defense.
  • Starshield (US military satcom) — a military satellite-communications architecture in the contested electromagnetic-spectrum ecosystem, not a shipboard jammer.

Outlook

SEWIP's trajectory is toward broader Block 2 fleet coverage, selective Block 3 electronic-attack installation on high-priority combatants and continued sustainment of the large legacy AN/SLQ-32 base. Northrop Grumman's 2026 Block 3 modification includes up to nine additional systems and the first nuclear-powered aircraft-carrier shipset, with public reporting pointing to a carrier delivery window around 2028 Naval News, Breaking Defense.

The operational driver is clear: anti-ship missile salvos are becoming more numerous, cheaper and more diverse, while shipboard interceptor magazines remain finite. If Block 3 proves reliable at sea and integrates cleanly with combat-system decision aids, SEWIP becomes a more central defensive layer rather than only a warning suite. The main public uncertainties are installation tempo, operational-test evidence, per-ship cost and how well the electronic-attack techniques adapt against evolving missile seekers.

Key specifications

Spec Value
Type / function Shipboard electronic-warfare suite for electronic support, threat warning, combat-system cueing and electronic attack in newer blocks
Frequency band(s) / orbit not publicly established; legacy open-source estimates cite roughly 5-20 GHz for original AN/SLQ-32(V)1 detection coverage
Coverage / effective range not publicly established
Host platform U.S. Navy cruisers, destroyers, aircraft carriers, amphibious ships, Littoral Combat Ships and selected U.S. Coast Guard cutters; Japan announced as first international SEWIP customer
Primary effect Detection, classification and warning of hostile radar emissions; soft-kill jamming of radar-guided threats in active electronic-attack configurations
Key subsystems Antenna and receiver group, signal-processing equipment, emitter library, combat-system interface, Soft Kill Coordination Subsystem, Block 3 GaN AESA electronic-attack arrays

Sources

  1. Navy Fact File — Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP). https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2167559/surface-electronic-warfare-improvement-program-sewip/
  2. FAS/Military Analysis Network — AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare Suite. https://man.fas.org/dod-101/sys/ship/weaps/an-slq-32.htm
  3. Wikipedia — AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare suite. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AN/SLQ-32_electronic_warfare_suite
  4. USNI Proceedings — "The Navy Upgrades Shipboard Electronic Warfare." https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2023/april/navy-upgrades-shipboard-electronic-warfare
  5. Lockheed Martin — SEWIP Block 2 brochure. https://www.lockheedmartin.com/content/dam/lockheed-martin/rms/documents/electronic-warfare/SEWIP-Block-2-Brochure-2026.pdf
  6. DOT&E — FY2024 SEWIP report. https://www.dote.osd.mil/Portals/97/pub/reports/FY2024/navy/2024sewip.pdf
  7. Northrop Grumman — Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program. https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/mission-solutions/electronic-warfare/surface-electronic-warfare-improvement-program-sewip
  8. Popular Mechanics — "How U.S. Destroyers Shoot Down Houthi Anti-Ship Missiles." https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a46411702/how-us-destroyers-shoot-down-houthi-anti-ship-missiles/
  9. Radartutorial.eu — SLQ-32 description. https://www.radartutorial.eu/19.kartei/12.ecm/karte002.en.html
  10. Military Aerospace Electronics — Northrop Grumman gallium-nitride shipboard EW coverage. https://www.militaryaerospace.com/sensors/article/55089016/northrop-grumman-corp-electronic-warfare-ew-shipboard-electronics-gallium-nitride-gan
  11. Naval News — Northrop Grumman to deliver first SEWIP Block 3 system for CVN. https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2026/04/northrop-grumman-to-deliver-first-sewip-block-3-system-for-cvn-under-contract-modification/
  12. Breaking Defense — Northrop slated to deliver surface EW system to carriers in 2028. https://breakingdefense.com/2026/04/northrop-slated-to-deliver-surface-ew-system-to-carriers-in-2028/
  13. GovCon Wire — NAVSEA SEWIP AN/SLQ-32(V) $7.13B RFP. https://www.govconwire.com/articles/navsea-sewip-anslq-32v-ew-7-13b-rfp
  14. GovCon Wire — Northrop Navy contract award for SEWIP Block 3. https://www.govconwire.com/articles/northrop-navy-contract-award-sewip-block-3
  15. JED — Northrop Grumman contracted for additional SEWIP Block 3 buy. https://www.jedonline.com/2026/02/16/northrop-grumman-contracted-for-additional-sewip-block-3-buy/
  16. GovCon Wire — Lockheed Martin Navy electronic warfare contract. https://www.govconwire.com/articles/lockheed-martin-navy-electronic-warfare
  17. Naval Technology — Lockheed Martin SEWIP Block 2 contract. https://www.naval-technology.com/news/lockheed-martin-sewip-block-2-contract/
  18. CAES/Business Wire — Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions wins $50M maritime EW contract awards. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201015005947/en/Cobham-Advanced-Electronic-Solutions-Wins-%2450M-in-Maritime-Electronic-Warfare-Contract-Awards
  19. CAES/Business Wire — Navy selects CAES for SEWIP Block 2 support. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230213005464/en/Navy-Selects-CAES-for-SEWIP-Block-2-Support
  20. Lockheed Martin — First international SEWIP sale to Japan. https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2024-10-29-Lockheed-Martin-Makes-First-International-SEWIP-Sale-to-Japan
  21. Naval News — SEWIP roll-out continues to U.S. fleet. https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/sna-2023/2023/01/sewip-roll-out-continues-to-us-fleet/
  22. Armada International — "On the Surface Electronic Warfare." https://www.armadainternational.com/2026/05/on-the-surface-electronic-warfare/

Image - The AN/SLQ-32 electronic-warfare suite aboard the cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70), Osaka, April 2014. Photo by Yasu osugi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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