• Digital Battlespace

  Kelvin Hughes receives type approval for SBS-700-2

  14th May 2018

  Kelvin Hughes has received type approval for its SBS-700-2 radar system in China, the company announced on 9 May. Part of Kelvin Hughes's family of …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG delivers latest HC-130J for Minotaur retrofit

  21st May 2018

  The US Coast Guard has delivered its latest HC-130J Super Hercules aircraft to L3 Technologies to replace its legacy mission system with Minotaur, the agency …

• Naval Warfare

  NAWCAD awards radar contract for USCG C-27Js

  14th May 2018

  The US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division has awarded an IDIQ contract to Telephonics Corporation for multi-mode radar systems, the US Coast Guard announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Is PLAAF harassment of Taiwan a dress rehearsal for Guam?

  28th May 2018

  The 11 May flight by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), yet another in a series of harassment exercises against Taiwan, may well have …

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea launches second LPH

  16th May 2018

  Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) ceremonially launched a landing platform helicopter (LPH) – the second Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship – in Busan on 14 …

• Naval Warfare

  Thales radar for FTI frigate enters production

  11th May 2018

  Thales has started production on the first Sea Fire radar for the French Navy’s Frégate de Taille Intermédiaire (FTI) future medium-size frigate programme, the company …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Norwegian emergency response UAS project detailed

  18th May 2018

  Andøya Space Center, Telenor and Robot Aviation have teamed up to develop and test an emergency response UAS, Andøya announced on 16 May. The new …

• Naval Warfare

  Bangladesh seeks second-hand frigates from China

  28th May 2018

  A tender notice from Bangladesh’s MoD, seeking two Chinese-origin Type 053H3 frigates, closed on 20 May. The tender was issued to ‘assess the market price’ …

• Digital Battlespace

  Russian units to receive Sopka-2 radar

  8th May 2018

  The Russian Air Force’s Northern Fleet units will receive six sets of Sopka-2 radars this month, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 3 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Canadian airfields equipped with new radars

  9th May 2018

  Hensoldt has equipped a total of six military airfields in Canada with Airport Surveillance Radars (ASR), with the completion of site acceptance testing for the …

• Naval Warfare

  Azerbaijan Border Guard receives a boost with new OPV

  13th May 2018

  Azerbaijan's coast guard (known as Sahil Mühafizəsinin), part of the country's Border Guard Service or Dövlət Sərhəd Xidmətinin (DSX), has launched its fifth locally built …

• Naval Warfare

  HII starts DDG 125 build

  9th May 2018

  Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has begun fabrication of the Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyer Jack H Lucas (DDG 125) with the cutting of the first …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Raytheon to support UAS airspace test corridor

  8th May 2018

  Raytheon has been selected as a partner by Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research (NUAIR) in the development of a UAS-testing airspace corridor in New York …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Guardian begins demo flights in Japan

  10th May 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has begun demonstration flights of the Guardian UAS on Iki Island in Japan, the company announced on 9 May. Intended …

• Defence Notes

  Chinese bombers make debut landing on disputed South China Sea runway

  19th May 2018

  China has for the first time landed several bombers on an island in the disputed South China Sea, a move that could provoke renewed tensions …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & Contract AwardIn 2015, Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan to ...

• 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 ...

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

  Long-Range Drones [Norway]

  Background Andøya Ambition On 3 April 2023, the Norwegian MoD released a statement confirming its plans for Andøya, the northernmost island in its Vesterålen archipelago. In addition to ...

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

  MQ-4C Triton (Contracted) [Australia]

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

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (ANCILLARY) [US]

  Background Aims & Timeline As stated by DARPA, the ANCILLARY programme aims to develop and fly an X-plane that will provide a “leap-ahead” in long-endurance, VTOL-capable ...

• 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, ...

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

  MQ-4C Triton (Option) [Australia]

  Programme Background Four Contracted Units In the summer of 2020, Northrop Grumman announced that the Australian Government provided $333 million for three MQ-4C Tritons and associated ...

• 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 - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Embarked VTOL UAV [South Korea]

  Programme Background VTOL Development In January 2024, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that it would commence development of a VTOL-capable rotary-wing UAV that ...

• 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 ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

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. 

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Defensive Management System-Modernisation

  The Defensive Management System-Modernisation (DMS-M) is the overarching effort to substantially enhance the Northrop Grumman B-2A Spirit strategic bomber’s Integrated Self-Protection System (ISPS) which includes ...

• 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 ...

• Military - UUVs

  Manta Ray

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

• 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: Integrated cockpit systems

  H-1 Family of Avionics

  Northrop Grumman produces a family of avionics for Bell H-1-series helicopters.

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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, ...