Northrop Grumman says no to prime role on US Air Force NGAD fighter programme
The USAF announced in May that the Department of the Air Force had begun soliciting proposals for the Next-Generation Air Dominance programme. (Photo: Northrop Grumman)
Northrop Grumman will not compete as a prime contractor on the USAF’s Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter programme but holds open the possibility to bid for the complementary loyal wingman and separate USN sixth-generation fighter, company CEO Kathy Warden said on 27 July.
‘We have notified the US Air Force that we’re not planning to respond to the NGAD RfP [Request for Proposals] as the prime,’ she said during a Q2 earnings call.
After years of speculation, in May, the USAF announced that the Department of the Air Force had begun soliciting proposals for the programme. It also confirmed that
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
Baykar’s Akinci: Local participation and export freedom drive $4.63 billion success story
The success of the Akinci drone stems from Turkey’s push for domestically produced components – which has led to fewer export restrictions – and from manufacturer Baykar’s willingness to coproduce the drone with customers’ domestic industries.
-
Lithuania air focus: Majority of $235.98 million drone investment to be spent before 2030
Lithuania has committed significant funding towards expanding its UAV capabilities, with more than $54 million already spent and substantial additional investment planned through to 2029. Alongside domestic procurement, the country has also acquired various drones to support Ukraine.
-
“A dominant force”: empowering Europe’s airborne ISR in a new era
European militaries face a new security landscape, with the proliferation of drones, theatre ballistic missiles and other threats boosting requirements for airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and related systems. For L3Harris, missionised business jets are central to meeting these needs, providing capability and flexibility in a cost-effective package.
-
Japan’s Terra Drone expands Ukrainian ties to break into global defence market
Following its investment into WinnyLab, Terra Drone unveiled a new long-range fixed-wing addition to its interceptor drone portfolio as it seeks to bring combat-proven technology back to Japan and expand into global export markets.