Raytheon completes JPALS delivery to U.S. Navy

Image: U.S. Department of Defense / Raytheon Technologies

Raytheon Technologies has delivered all 23 contracted Joint Precision Approach and Landing Systems (JPALS) low-rate production units to the U.S. Navy to ship to Japan. Raytheon announced the contract with the Navy back in February to provide JPALS to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), which will be deployed on the JMSDF JS Izumo carrier in 2024.

JPALS is a software-based GPS navigation and precision approach landing system that guides aircraft onto carriers and amphibious assault ships regardless of sea state or weather conditions, bolstering safety and operational capability.

JPALS is deployed on all U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, as well as all F-35 aircraft. In addition, JPALS are deployed on platforms from two countries: the UK Royal Navy’s HMS Queen Elizabeth, and the ITS Cavour, an Italian aircraft carrier, to support their F-35 squadrons.

Raytheon has also developed an expeditionary variant of JPALS called eJPALS, which is a smaller, portable system that could be packaged in ruggedized cases, mounted on small vehicles, and deployed in austere, remote locations for precision landings. The system could establish up to 50 different landing points within a 20-nautical-mile radius.