L3Harris has completed production of the first 35 Viper Shield F-16 electronic warfare systems for the global F-16 fleet, the company announced September 3, 2026, marking the shift from prototype to full-rate manufacturing. The company also assembled its first Viper Shield pod using production-line systems for the first time.
Viper Shield is currently the only F-16 electronic warfare system in production, with eight allied nations now on the order book and 233 systems currently planned, backed by roughly $1 billion in partner-nation investment.
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First 35 Systems Off the Line
L3Harris’ Clifton, New Jersey facility has completed the first 35 Viper Shield electronic warfare and countermeasure systems for the global F-16 fleet. The company said it also assembled its first Viper Shield pod using production systems, a milestone distinct from the internally mounted baseline version that has been in flight testing since early 2025.
L3Harris is now ramping toward full-rate production of the 233 systems currently on order. The company has framed the milestone as proof that Viper Shield has moved well past prototype status into a genuine production line with an established supply chain.
What Viper Shield Actually Does
Viper Shield, formally designated the AN/ALQ-254(V)1, is an all-digital electronic warfare suite that detects, identifies and counters radar and electronic threats — what L3Harris describes as digital armor around the aircraft. It combines a digital radar warning receiver with radio-frequency-memory-based jamming, and it can be integrated internally within the airframe or carried as an external pod.
The system is designed for the F-16 Block 70/72 and is also compatible with earlier F-16 blocks, including Block 40 and Block 50 D-models, without requiring airframe redesign. It works alongside the jet’s APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, and its all-digital, software-defined architecture is built on commercial-off-the-shelf technology, giving it a smaller form factor, reduced weight and an easier path to future upgrades than older analog systems.
Eight Nations and Counting
Eight countries have now selected Viper Shield, including Bahrain, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Morocco, Taiwan, Poland and, most recently, Peru, which selected the system as part of a Foreign Military Sale valued at up to $3.42 billion covering 12 F-16 Block 70 aircraft. Peru’s order, disclosed in August 2026, is expected to be delivered in 2029-2030.
“The $1 billion shared investment by countries operating F-16s means the U.S. Air Force and National Guard could benefit from joining the program,” said Chris Aebli, president of Communications & Spectrum Dominance at L3Harris. “The foreign investment is funding development, lab testing, flight testing and current production of Viper Shield systems, which presents the United States with a savings opportunity to avoid upfront costs.”
That framing matters because it flips the usual pattern: rather than the U.S. developing a system and allies buying in afterward, partner nations have funded Viper Shield F-16 development, testing and now production, leaving the U.S. Air Force with the option to adopt an already-mature system without carrying the development costs itself.
From First Flight to Full-Rate Production
Viper Shield’s development has moved through a clear sequence of public milestones. Its first flight took place January 23, 2025, aboard a Royal Bahraini Air Force F-16C Block 70 flown by the 412th Test Wing’s 416th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base, California — part of the routine flight-test work the Air Force performs on Foreign Military Sales aircraft before delivery to the buying nation. The flight included risk-reduction tests of the mission computer, avionics compatibility and interoperability with the APG-83 radar.
By November 2025, Viper Shield had passed a Production Readiness Review, moving it into low-rate initial production with full-rate production targeted for early 2026. The September 2026 announcement of 35 completed systems and the first production-line pod marks the next step in that same progression.
FAQ: Viper Shield F-16
What is Viper Shield?
The AN/ALQ-254(V)1 Viper Shield is an all-digital electronic warfare system built by L3Harris for the F-16, combining a digital radar warning receiver with jamming capability to detect, identify and counter radar and electronic threats.
Which countries have ordered it?
Eight nations have selected Viper Shield: Bahrain, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Morocco, Taiwan, Poland, Peru and one additional undisclosed partner, with roughly 233 systems currently planned across those orders.
Could the U.S. Air Force get Viper Shield?
L3Harris has said the system’s partner-funded development gives the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard the option to adopt Viper Shield without bearing the upfront development costs, though no U.S. order has been announced.
Looking Ahead
L3Harris has not released a timeline for when full-rate production will be reached or when additional Viper Shield deliveries will be publicly disclosed. The Aviation Diary will continue tracking the Viper Shield F-16 production ramp and any additional partner nations that join the program.
Sources
- L3Harris — L3Harris Completes Production of First F-16 Viper Shield Electronic Warfare Systems
- The Defense Post — Peru Picks L3Harris Viper Shield for Its F-16s
- The Aviationist — Viper Shield EW Suite Flies on F-16 for the First Time
- Aviation Today — Viper Shield Has First Flight on F-16 at Edwards AFB
- L3Harris — Viper Shield Advances Production for Global F-16 Fleet
- Air Force Technology — Viper Shield Electronic Warfare Suite Overview
