Curtain rises on ACT-IV
Northrop Grumman tests ACT-IV for the AFRL and DARPA at the company radar range in Linthicum, Maryland. (Photo: Northrop Grumman).
DARPA, USAF and Northrop Grumman hope digital AESA will enhance operational flexibility.
Northrop Grumman announced on 31 August that it has delivered the Arrays at Commercial Timescales Integration and Validation (ACT-IV) system to DARPA and the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).
The multifunction digital AESA system completed multiple successful demonstrations and acceptance testing at a Northrop Grumman radar range.
By applying the flexibility of digital AESA, ACT-IV can perform radar, EW and communication functions simultaneously by controlling a large number of independent digital transmit/receive channels.
Development of ACT-IV marks a ‘breakthrough in AESA performance’ and ‘an important milestone in the nation’s transition to digitally reprogrammable multifunction radio frequency (RF) systems’, said William Phillips, director of multifunction systems at Northrop Grumman.
He added that capabilities in the new system ‘will be used to enhance the next generation of integrated circuits and AESAs that are currently in our digital AESA product pipeline’.
|
More from Defence Notes
-
![UK faces cost of balancing defensive capabilities abroad as Iran conflict widens]()
UK faces cost of balancing defensive capabilities abroad as Iran conflict widens
The UK has recently deployed a Type 45 destroyer to Cyprus and has bolstered its presence in the Middle East in recent weeks with supporting air power to protect neighbouring countries’ air defences.
-
![White House calls on Pentagon contractors to “rapidly and aggressively” boost weapon production]()
White House calls on Pentagon contractors to “rapidly and aggressively” boost weapon production
Intended to sustain Operation Epic Fury against Iran, efforts to increase the production of weapons and ammunition could expose long-standing weaknesses in the US defence industrial base.
-
![India’s strategic defence footprint expansion could be accelerated by Iran-Israel conflict]()
India’s strategic defence footprint expansion could be accelerated by Iran-Israel conflict
The latest escalation between Iran and Israel could shape New Delhi’s next-generation shield as India deepens cooperation with Israel on missile defence and drone production.
-
![Is the US magazine of air defence interceptors deep enough to sustain a long campaign against Iran?]()
Is the US magazine of air defence interceptors deep enough to sustain a long campaign against Iran?
The Pentagon spent a considerable number of THAAD and SM-3 rounds to defend against Iranian missiles in 2025 and has not fully replenished its reserves.
-
![New Zealand buys tri-service uncrewed kit from Syos Aerospace]()
New Zealand buys tri-service uncrewed kit from Syos Aerospace
As uncrewed technology continues to play an increasingly central role in modern military activities, New Zealand’s recent acquisitions point towards its the force’s focus on cost-effective capability.
