• Defence Notes

  Zhuhai 2016: Mysterious J-20 sneaks in…and out

  1st November 2016

  China’s fifth-generation J-20 stealth fighter made a cameo appearance during the 11th Zhuhai Air Show in China, this being its first public foray anywhere in …

• Defence Helicopter

  Analysis: Polish Navy’s ASW and SAR in jeopardy

  1st November 2016

  The Polish Naval Aviation service fell into a difficult situation following the Polish government’s end of H225M contract talks with Airbus Helicopters on 5 October …

• Defence Helicopter

  Zhuhai 2016: China unveils new unmanned rotorcraft

  31st October 2016

  The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) unveiled its AV500W unmanned helicopter at the 11th Zhuhai Air Show, being held this week in southern China …

• Digital Battlespace

  Aussie replenishment ships get Saab ICS

  31st October 2016

  Saab has been awarded a contract worth around $25.18 million with Spanish shipbuilder Navantia to deliver an integrated combat system for two new replenishment ships …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Israeli Heron UAS conduct naval patrols

  28th October 2016

  Israeli Air Force Heron 1 UAS have begun conducting naval patrols in response to an operational need to improve border protection in the country. The …

• Land Warfare

  Indo Defence 2016: Indonesian marines build up

  28th October 2016

  New tropicalised variants of the BTR-4M 8x8 armoured vehicles are due to be received this year by the Indonesian Marine Corp (Korps Marinir) from Ukraine.  …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris to sustain USAF EW tech

  27th October 2016

  Harris Corporation has been awarded a four-year, $55 million contract to sustain electronic warfare technology used on large US Air Force (USAF) aircraft, the company …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia deploys Ka-31SV to Syria

  27th October 2016

  Russia has deployed a covert helicopter optimised for ground surveillance and reconnaissance to Syria, new video footage taken from the town of Latakia on 25 …

• Naval Warfare

  Philippines leases patrol aircraft

  27th October 2016

  During President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to Japan from 25-27 October, the Philippines signed an MoU and letter of arrangement with Tokyo to lease five TC-90 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DARPA's ACTUV sails with TALONS

  26th October 2016

  DARPA's Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) has sailed with a prototype sensor mast developed under its Towed Airborne Lift of Naval Systems …

• Digital Battlespace

  Euronaval 2016: Kelvin Hughes sees French potential

  26th October 2016

  Eager to explore the potential in the French domestic and export markets, UK-based Kelvin Hughes attended Euronaval to make its case for the SharpEye radar. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Ukroboronprom tests Pelican radar

  26th October 2016

  Ukroboronprom has put the 79K6 Pelican 3D surveillance radar through testing during the Rubizh 2016 military exercise, the company announced on 23 October. The Pelicon …

• Defence Helicopter

  Longer-range weapons for Mi-28NM

  26th October 2016

  The Mi-28NM, an upgraded derivative of the Mi-28N Night Hunter, is set to receive longer-range anti-tank guided missiles. The new-generation attack helicopter for the Russian …

• Defence Helicopter

  Five H225Ms with teeth headed to Brazilian Navy

  26th October 2016

  The first H225M configured as a naval combat variant is expected to be delivered to the Brazilian Navy in April 2018 after military certification trials, it …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army continues its battle against brownout

  25th October 2016

  The US Army is continuing along its path of providing aircraft with degraded visual environment (DVE) technology through the PEO Aviation's Brownout Rotorcraft Enhancement System …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 (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 ...

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

  MQ-4C Triton (5-6) [Australia]

  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 GCS. ...

• 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 - 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 ...

• 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 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military - UUVs

  Manta Ray

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

• 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: 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  H-1 Family of Avionics

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