Textron Systems has received a $9.5 million contract to support US Air Force evaluation of a key defensive sensor suite installed on the F-15 Eagle fighter. The work focuses on the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System, or EPAWSS, which replaces older radar warning receivers, internal countermeasure equipment, and dispenser systems. To support testing, Textron will provide several units of its Advanced Architecture Phase, Amplitude and Time Simulator, known as A2PATS. The system is designed to assess radar warning performance against modern electronic warfare threats in dense signal environments. The package also includes benchmarking services and spare parts. Testing activities will be conducted with the 68th Electronic Warfare Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida over a 17-month period. Part of the program will also support evaluations for foreign military sales customers interested in the capability. According to Textron, A2PATS can generate realistic waveforms commonly found in contested battlespaces, reproducing signal phase, amplitude, and timing characteristics across varying ranges. This enables highly accurate laboratory simulation of hostile radar emitters and threat systems. EPAWSS is considered a major survivability upgrade for the F-15 fleet, improving threat detection, situational awareness, and self-protection against advanced air defense networks. The new contract highlights continued investment in keeping legacy combat aircraft relevant against increasingly sophisticated electronic threats.
