Australian Growler seen with next-generation jammer pods

Raytheon has said the NGJ-MB is capable of jamming multiple targets simultaneously at enhanced ranges. (Raytheon)

A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing EA-18G Growler equipped with new AN/ALQ-249 Next-Generation Jammer-Medium Band (NGJ-MB) pods has been photographed while operating from RAAF Base Williamtown.

Australia's acquisition of the NGJ-MB system is part of a planned upgrade of Australian Growlers. The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) is collaborating with the US Pentagon and US Navy (USN) on the development of two NGJ systems. The AN/ALQ-249 NGJ-MB focuses on targeting threats in middle frequency bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. The second system is the NGJ-Low Band (NGJ-LB).

The photograph, which was published on an aviation photography website in December 2025, shows an RAAF Growler (serial no A46-304) equipped with two NGJ-MB pods in its centre underwing hardpoints, in place of ageing AN/ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System pods routinely carried in those positions.

A single AN/ALQ-99 pod configured for low-band attacks, however, remained fixed to the aircraft's under-fuselage, centreline hardpoint.

While the Australian DoD did not answer a Janes query about when the pods were delivered, a spokesperson confirmed that the department has “ordered eight AN/ALQ-249 NGJ-MB … shipsets (two pods per shipset) for the RAAF to date”.

“The US Navy has contracted Raytheon (El Segundo, California), to a total value of USD368.3 million,” the DoD spokesperson added.

In May 2025, Raytheon announced a USD580 million follow-on production contract from the USN for additional NGJ-MB pods, including pods for the RAAF. This comes after a USD590.8 million low-rate initial production contract was awarded to Raytheon in November 2024 covering four shipsets for the RAAF and nine for the USN, according to information published by the US Department of Defense.

Janes