• Naval Warfare

  Submarine contracts highlight importance of forward planning

  28th March 2019

  If the fiscal focus for March 2019 in the US began with the Trump administration’s FY2020 budget request, attention as the days slide towards April …

• Defence Helicopter

  Finishing touches for Spanish Navy’s AB-212 upgrades

  18th April 2019

  Whilst delivery of the seven modernised AB-212 helicopters for the Spanish Navy is complete, Sener, one of the parties on the upgrade programme, continues in …

• Training

  US Marine Corps in DTC first

  14th March 2019

  Normally associated with networking air assets, Northrop Grumman’s Distributed Training Center (DTC) located at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia has been used for the first time …

• Naval Warfare

  Thai navy performs first C-802A test firing

  10th April 2019

  The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) conducted its first C-802A anti-ship missile test on 5 April, successfully hitting a target 100km away from HTMS Kraburi. This …

• Defence Notes

  Radar images prove Pakistan F-16 shot down: Indian Air Force

  9th April 2019

  India's air force presented what it called ‘irrefutable evidence’ on 8 April that it downed a Pakistan fighter jet in February, as the regional foes …

• Defence Notes

  Northrop receives AARGM-ER EMD contract

  13th March 2019

  Northrop Grumman has received a $322.5 million contract from the US Navy for engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) of the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range …

• Land Warfare

  Centurion C-RAM will protect Taiwan’s key installations

  5th April 2019

  The Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) proposes to order land-based Phalanx close-in weapon systems (CIWS), known as the Centurion C-RAM, to protect key installations …

• Defence Notes

  Russia beefing up its Su-25SM3 fleet

  4th April 2019

  The Russian MoD has released a tender with a selected supplier to upgrade Su-25 attack aircraft to the significantly enhanced Su-25SM3 standard for day/night operations, …

• Special Operations

  UK MoD explores new human detection technology

  12th April 2019

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded Iceni Labs a £248,000 contract to support the evaluation of the SafeScan Tactical handheld human presence detection …

• Digital Battlespace

  Russia receives sixth upgraded A-50U

  5th April 2019

  Rostec's Vega Concern and the Beriev Aircraft Company have supplied the sixth modernised A-50U airborne early warning and control (AEW&C;) aircraft to the Russian Air …

• Land Warfare

  Northrop Grumman expands ABL facility

  8th March 2019

  Northrop Grumman has commenced rocket motor production at its new modernised tactical motor manufacturing facility at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL) in West Virginia, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Industry unsettled on C-UAS pathways

  10th April 2019

  A number of technical and development issues encountered by commercial C-UAS manufacturers are still unresolved as the emerging market struggles to meet increasingly sophisticated customer …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  uAvionix products receive approval from India’s DGCA

  5th April 2019

  uAvionix’s products for UAS have been accepted by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of India for use within Indian-controlled airspace, the company announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned Systems Asia 2019: Aselsan hits the ground running in Singapore

  10th April 2019

  Turkish first-time exhibitor Aselsan demonstrated its unmanned ground portfolio on the show floor at Unmanned Systems Asia 2019. On display was the company’s UKAP, a …

• Digital Battlespace

  A-50U aircraft enters Russian service

  2nd April 2019

  An upgraded A-50U long-range radar detection and control aircraft has entered into the Russian military transport aviation in Ivanovo, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter [Morocco]

  Programme Background 2019 In March 2019, the US State Department announced that it had approved a possible FMS of 25 F-16V Block 72 aircraft to ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk [Japan]

  Background Selection and contract award In 2015, Northrop Grumman’s RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 Replacement (Romania)

  On 29 August 2017, Leonardo announced that the IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) will be fitted with company's Vixen 500E AESA radar. The Vixen 500E AESA ...

• Data links

  Data links | E-6 TACAMO Recapitalisation Programme (E-130J) [USN]

  The TACAMO Recapitalisation Programme (E-130J) will replace the ageing E-6B Mercury and transition the US Airborne Strategic NC3 capability between aircraft. E-130J mission equipment will ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | E-6 TACAMO Recapitalisation Programme (E-130J) [USN]

  The TACAMO Recapitalisation Programme (E-130J) will replace the ageing E-6B Mercury and transition the US Airborne Strategic NC3 capability between aircraft. E-130J mission equipment will ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | E-6 TACAMO Recapitalisation Programme (E-130J) [USN]

  The TACAMO Recapitalisation Programme (E-130J) will replace the ageing E-6B Mercury and transition the US Airborne Strategic NC3 capability between aircraft. E-130J mission equipment will ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | E-6 TACAMO Recapitalisation Programme (E-130J) [USN]

  The TACAMO Recapitalisation Programme (E-130J) will replace the ageing E-6B Mercury and transition the US Airborne Strategic NC3 capability between aircraft. E-130J mission equipment will ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton [NATO]

  Background NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum During the July 2026 NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara, Türkiye, NATO announced that Denmark, Finland, Germany and Norway ...

• ISR/special mission

  E-6 TACAMO Recapitalisation Programme (E-130J) [USN]

  Programme Background The E-6 Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) Recapitalisation Programme (E-XX) provides for air vehicle replacement and mission systems modernization to augment and eventually ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) [NATO]

  Background Purchase While NATO doesn’t have its own forces and depends on its allies, the alliance does have some of its own assets and equipment. In ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | MQ-4C Triton [NATO]

  On 7 July 2026, NATO announced that Denmark, Finland, Germany and Norway had acquired up to five Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton HALE UAVs, which will ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | MQ-4C Triton [NATO]

  On 7 July 2026, NATO announced that Denmark, Finland, Germany and Norway had acquired up to five Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton HALE UAVs, which will ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (1-4) [Australia]

  Background Three Contracted Units In June 2018, the Government provided Second Pass (Tranche 1) Approval to procure the first of six air vehicles, supporting systems and ...

• AEW&C

  E-2D (France)

  Programme Background In July 2020, France revealed its intention of buying a fleet of three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Aircraft with a $2 billion potential FMS deal, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-81

  AN/APG-81 is operating in the X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems for the F-35 “Lightning” all-weather ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: surveillance radar

  AN/ASQ-236

  The AN/ASQ-236 (Dragon's Eye) is an AESA radar pod manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It is intended as a surveillance radar, capable of all-weather precision geo-location ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-83 SABR

  The AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) is an active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar being developed by Northrop Grumman using its own ...

• Major networking projects

  IBCS

  The Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) is a C2 system designed to integrate current and future sensors. The system also improves ...

• Air: UAS radar

  AN/ZPQ-1 TESAR

  The Tactical Endurance Synthetic Aperture Radar (TESAR), developed by Northrop Grumman, is primarily designed for use on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) such as the Predator. 

• Land: air defence radar

  AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR

  AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) is a multi-mission system designed to support worldwide expeditionary requirements. It provides detection and tracking capabilities and offers traffic ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  MQ-8C Fire Scout

  The MQ-8C is a newer version of the Fire Scout and is based on a Bell 407 commercial helicopter. It offers a greater range, endurance and ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  APR-39E(V)2

  The AN/APR-39E(V)2 is a digital radar warning receiver manufactured by Northrop Grumman. The receiver is a modernised version of the AN/APR-39 radar warning receiver and ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: surveillance radar, Air: UAS radar

  AN/ZPY-5 VADER

  The Vehicle and Dismount Exploitation Radar (VADER) is an airborne radar system manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It is designed to track vehicles and foot traffic ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW)

  The Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW) is an air-to-ground weapon that will provide strike capability to defeat rapidly relocatable targets as part of an enemy’s anti-access/area denial ...

• Military - UUVs

  Manta Ray

  Manta Ray is an uncrewed underwater vessel (UUV) developed by Northrop Grumman.

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-79

  The AN/APG-79 is an agile beam radar with a solid-state digital array that scans at nearly the speed of light, enabling detection and tracking of ...

• Loitering munitions

  Jackal

  The Jackal is a turbojet loitering munition designed by Northrop Grumman in partnership with AeroVironment.  It features an open architecture that provides the capability to support ...

• AEW&C, Maritime patrol

  E-2 Hawkeye

  The E-2 Hawkeye AEW&C; aircraft has gone through several iterations and can be operated from land, as with Egypt and Mexico, or from a carrier, ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  AN/ALR-67(V)3

  The AN/ALR-67 series Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) has been produced both by Northrop Grumman and Raytheon, though all production this century has been done by ...