• Defence Notes

  Farnborough 2016: UK ISTAR missions hampered by fleet depletion

  13th July 2016

  The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) ISTAR commander has fired off a stark warning about the future reduction of his fleet of five Sentinel R1 to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Predator B to get ARDS

  12th July 2016

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' (GA-ASI's) Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper UAS will be integrated with the Advanced Radar Detection System (ARDS) from Raytheon Deutschland, it was announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Farnborough 2016: FCAS to define mission profile

  12th July 2016

  As the expected two-year Feasibility Phase of the joint UK-France FCAS programme draws to a close, 2017 will see further progress made by BAE Systems …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  NATO AGS system at Warsaw Summit

  12th July 2016

  The operational capabilities of the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system were presented to heads of state at the 2016 Warsaw NATO Summit on 8-9 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Farnborough 2016: Raytheon evolves MALD

  12th July 2016

  Raytheon has been awarded a $34.8 million contract to develop a new version of its Miniature Air Launched Decoy-Jammer (MALD-J) missile, the company announced during …

• Training

  Farnborough 2016: Link highlights F-16 DTT

  12th July 2016

  L3 Link is using the Farnborough International Airshow 2016 (FIA 2016) to highlight its F-16 training capabilities with the exhibition of an F-16 desktop training …

• Digital Battlespace

  Farnborough 2016: Harris hunts for EW upgrades

  11th July 2016

  Looking internationally outside of its US market, Harris is seeking to provide airborne electronic warfare (EW) systems for legacy F-16 and F-18 aircraft. Andrew Dunn, Harris’s VP …

• Digital Battlespace

  Farnborough 2016: Meteoric cost saving potential

  11th July 2016

  Meteor, a radar guided beyond visual range air-to-air missile, is being showcased on an operational aircraft for the first time at the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA 2016). Meteor …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough 2016: Boeing secures UK aircraft contracts

  11th July 2016

  Boeing has confirmed mutiple deals with the UK including a $2.3 billion deal with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) for 50 AH-64E Apaches for the British …

• Training

  Farnborough 2016: Leonardo unveils dual-role M-346 (video)

  11th July 2016

  Newly re-branded aerospace manufacturer Leonardo has unveiled a dual-role variant of its M-346 trainer aircraft at the Farnborough Airshow, which can be used for both …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG achieves IOC for C-27J

  8th July 2016

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) Air Station Sacramento, California, has achieved initial operational capability (IOC) for the Alenia C-27J Spartan medium range surveillance aircraft, it …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon delivers AMDR array

  8th July 2016

  Raytheon has made the delivery of the first AN/SPY-6(V) Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) array to the US Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility in …

• Land Warfare

  Northrop Grumman receives JCREW award

  8th July 2016

  Northrop Grumman has received a $103 million contract modification from the US Department of Defense for Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare, Joint …

• Land Warfare

  Norinco offers 8x8 SPAAG

  8th July 2016

  China North Industries Corporation (Norinco) is promoting a new 35mm self-propelled antiaircraft gun (SPAAG) on the international market. The vehicle was shown in model form …

• Digital Battlespace

  South Korea to host THAAD battery

  8th July 2016

  In a long-anticipated move, South Korea and the US have agreed to base a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery on the Korean Peninsula. The …

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 (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. ...

• 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, ...

• 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 ...

• 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.