Northrop Grumman has completed a series of mission-focused engagements for its Firebird optionally piloted MALE ISR aircraft, including integration of the TK-9 Earthwatch sensor from Overwatch Imaging.
‘The sensor was integrated in one day as part of ongoing capability flights validating the wide range of missions the Firebird system can perform for government and commercial customers,’ Northrop Grumman stated on 14 July.
Over a four-day period, the Firebird team carried out four manned flights with 100% aircraft availability for day and night operations.
Firebird demonstrated several data collection missions, including wide-area surveillance, pattern-of-life monitoring, route clearance, SAR, high-value subject tracking, hostage recovery, and fire hotspot detection.
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.
Timo Haas, CEO of Rheinmetall's Digital Systems Division, explains how digitalisation is reshaping modern warfare and highlights the technologies the company is showcasing at Eurosatory 2026.
Artificial intelligence has supported C2 systems and decision-making for more than two decades. It has gradually built up a head of steam in the 2020s, but what is it achieving today and what role could it play in the future?
At SOF Week 2026, Sean O’Neill, Senior Business Development Manager with Iris Technology, discusses the growing importance of tactical power management systems for modern military operations.
At SOF Week 2026, Austin Farnham, President of Octane Wireless, discusses how direct feedback from special operations forces is helping shape the next generation of battlefield communications technology.
The Northrop Grumman Integrated Battle Command System is in service with Poland and the US Army with another 20 countries believed to have expressed an interest.
The Thales DigitalCrew package, first unveiled at last year’s Defence IQ International Armoured Vehicles conference, is designed to merge imaging and apply a layer of decision-making and observation algorithms to support crew and other personnel.
Connect with us on socials
