Northrop Grumman awarded IBCS transformation contract
Northrop Grumman will undertake a 28-month programme to transform the software development process for the US Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS) to an agile development framework.
The company received a $70 million contract for the work in November 2019 from the Aviation Missile Technology Consortium.
Under the contract Northrop Grumman and the US Army will prototype an agile development process in order to build, test and field capabilities faster to respond to current and emerging needs.
As part of the Agile Technical Insertion initiative, IBCS was designated among a number of high priority programmes to adopt an agile development methodology to enable maturation of the system.
With its open systems architecture, IBCS allows incorporation of current and future sensors and effectors, and enables interoperability with joint C2 and the ballistic missile defence system. This modular open system architecture optimises the benefits of agile techniques and methodologies, including frequent, ongoing and rapid ‘agile sprints’ to develop and test incremental software advancements. This transformational approach will enable greater responsiveness to current and emerging needs that support mission objectives and avoid costly rework later in the development cycle.
IBCS is a net-centric C2 system for the air and missile defence mission. IBCS enhances battlefield survivability by creating a resilient self-healing network of all available sensors that can reduce and eliminate vectors of attack while providing operators with a single integrated air picture of unprecedented accuracy and a broader defended area.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Digital Battlespace
-
![UK teases cyber spending boost in Strategic Defence Review ahead of “imminent” release]()
UK teases cyber spending boost in Strategic Defence Review ahead of “imminent” release
The release of the UK’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR) has been long promised as mid-year. It is possible it could be as early as 2 June although the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) continues to play its cards close to its chest.
-
![Intelsat emphasises SATCOM resilience for SOF in contested domains (video)]()
Intelsat emphasises SATCOM resilience for SOF in contested domains (video)
Intelsat outlines how its multi-orbit SATCOM architecture is enhancing connectivity and resilience for special operations forces operating in degraded and contested environments.
-
![US Space Force’s next-generation missile warning system moves forward with $500 million in new contracts]()
US Space Force’s next-generation missile warning system moves forward with $500 million in new contracts
Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) satellites are intended to provide early warning of missile launches from any location worldwide and new ground stations will result in expanded coverage of critical missile warning.
-
![Airbus launches final CSO observation satellite for French Armed Forces]()
Airbus launches final CSO observation satellite for French Armed Forces
Airbus was awarded the Composante Spatiale Optique (CSO) contract at the end of 2010. This included an option for a third satellite, which was activated after Germany joined the programme in 2015.
-
![Intelligence advantage: How real-time GEOINT is reshaping military decision-making (Studio)]()
Intelligence advantage: How real-time GEOINT is reshaping military decision-making (Studio)
In today’s contested operational environment, adaptability is key. The new Geospatial-Intelligence as a Service (GEO IaaS) solution from Fujitsu and MAIAR empowers militaries by enabling intelligence advantage, combining advanced technology with human expertise to deliver actionable insights.
