BAE Systems has won a new contract to keep the Lockheed-Martin U-2 Dragon Lady’s defensive system ready for service. The work covers the AN/ALQ-221 Advanced Defensive System, which helps protect the U.S. Air Force surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft during missions in contested airspace.
Under the contract from Robins Air Force Base in Georgia, BAE Systems will continue field service support for the aircraft’s electronic warfare system, carry out repairs to keep it available, and provide software updates so it can respond to new threats. That support is important because the U-2 still plays a key role in gathering intelligence, and its defensive equipment needs to stay current as threats change.
The AN/ALQ-221 gives U-2 pilots radar warning and electronic countermeasures, along with the situational awareness needed to operate more safely in difficult environments. It uses long-range sensors and onboard processing to help the aircraft detect threats while continuing its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance mission.
A long-running system still central to the U-2
BAE Systems says the AN/ALQ-221 has been improved and sustained throughout its 60-year service life. That long history also shows how closely the system is tied to the aircraft’s modernization program.
One reason the U-2 can keep receiving these upgrades is its modular design and open avionics architecture. That setup allows new capabilities to be developed, tested, and fielded more quickly than on many older aircraft. For the Air Force, that means the aircraft can stay useful even as the threat environment becomes more complex.
“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.”
Support work continues in New Hampshire and in the field
The contract also keeps this work tied to BAE Systems’ facility in Nashua, New Hampshire, where specialists support the AN/ALQ-221, along with field service representatives who help sustain the system closer to operations. That mix of factory support and on-site service helps the company keep the system working while also updating it over time.
For BAE Systems, this contract continues its role in electronic warfare, an area where reliability and fast updates matter. For the U.S. Air Force, it helps ensure the U-2 Dragon Lady remains equipped with a defensive system that can keep pace with modern threats while the aircraft continues flying missions that still matter today.
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