PREMIUM: Lockheed Martin confident of meeting $25,000 F-35 flight hour target
New sustainment plans could see Lockheed Martin reduce operating costs of the F-35 to $25,000 per flight hour.
Defence Notes
Next-generation US nuke programme passes baseline review
The the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent engineering and manufacturing development programme has passed a baseline review. (Photo: Northrop Grumman)
Completion of the Integrated Baseline Review puts the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent on track for IOC by 2029, says lead contractor Northrop Grumman.
Northrop Grumman announced on 7 April that it has passed a ‘critical milestone’ by completing the Integrated Baseline Review (IBR) for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) programme.
The review sets a benchmark for performance measurement of GBSD and keeps the programme on track for IOC with the USAF by 2029, the company added.
Using the W87 mod 1 thermonuclear warhead, GBSD will replace the LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
‘Given the sheer size and importance of schedule integration, we had to be agile in meeting this critical milestone; there is no margin for delay,’ said Steve Lunny, VP of the GBSD programme at Northrop Grumman.
This agility is enabled by adopting digital engineering principles to ‘model and authenticate virtual designs and significantly shorten development timelines’, the company stated. As a result, GBSD is designated as an e-Series programme by the USAF.
Northrop Grumman leads an EMD team including Aerojet Rocketdyne, Bechtel, Clark, Collins Aerospace, General Dynamics, Honeywell, Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, L3 Harris, Lockheed Martin and Textron Systems, as well as hundreds of SMEs in the defence industry.
The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center awarded the team a $13.29 billion EMD contract in September 2020.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
More from Defence Notes
-
-
Germany injects funding into land, sea and air programmes
Some €600 million is being spent in Germany on a range of defence procurement initiatives.
-
PREMIUM: Russia looks beyond New START with Kedr
Design research work is underway in Russia on a new ICBM to replace the RS-24 Yars.
-
PREMIUM: DARPA funds research into next-generation PPE
DARPA is working with industry on 'unburdening the warfighter' by developing advanced and ultra-lightweight personal protective equipment. Its Personalized Protective Biosystems programme pre-dates COVID-19, but it arguably assumes even greater importance for defence procurement in the context of the pandemic.
-
Lockheed continues work on Japanese Aegis
Work on latest Aegis FMS contract modification for Lockheed Martin is to be completed by the end of 2022.
-
PREMIUM: IAI shines more light on Barak ER interceptor test
Interceptor used in March test was the first series-production Barak ER missile, with the IDF the most likely launch customer. The extended-range Barak variant will slot into the existing Israeli air defence umbrella of systems.