Raytheon has tested the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI)- based radiation warning receiver (RWR) for 4th generation aircraft.

The parent company RTX announced this in a press release.

The new technology is aimed at increasing crew survivability and will accelerate the deployment of artificial intelligence capabilities.

The Cognitive Algorithm Deployment System (CADS) combines the latest embedded GPU with Deepwave Digital’s computing stack to integrate AI models into Raytheon’s legacy air defense systems for artificial intelligence processing.

This integration allows CADS to use cognitive methods to detect, identify, and prioritize threats.

“The benefits of AI in defense systems are great, and our recent CADS test demonstrates how commercially available products combined with advanced algorithms and cognitive techniques can help the United States and its allies stay ahead of threats from other countries,” Brian Rosselli, president of Raytheon’s Advanced Products and Solutions business, reported.

CADS hardware and cognitive radar data processing capabilities were tested on a Raytheon flight test aircraft. CADS successfully performed during additional flight tests and demonstrations on an F-16 aircraft at the National Guard Test Site near Tucson, Arizona, in December 2024.

CADS is expected to be procured for use on various platforms in early 2025.

At the end of November 2024, an F-16 fighter jet from the 85th Squadron made its first flight with the IVEWS electronic warfare system in the United States.

The new IVEWS system is designed to replace outdated electronic warfare systems on fighter aircraft. It includes a new generation digital radar warning receiver, an advanced processor designed specifically for electronic warfare systems, and powerful transmitters with antennas optimized for the size, weight, and power requirements of the F-16 fighter jet.

The American company Northrop Grumman is developing the AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS) system.

The new electronic warfare system’s ultra-wideband architecture can detect, identify, and counter modern radio frequency threats, including millimeter-wave radars