• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2018: Air defence Stryker takes next step

  8th October 2018

  Modernising air and missile defence is one of the US Army’s top six modernisation priorities, and one key element of that is rebuilding a frontline …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop introduces Vanguard radar solution

  27th September 2018

  Northrop Grumman has introduced its new Vanguard multi-function, open architecture radar solution for multiple missions and platforms. With a modular, panel-based structure, each radar panel …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army CIRCM system ready for production

  28th September 2018

  The Northrop Grumman-built Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM) system for the US Army has achieved Milestone C after completing testing, the company announced on 24 September. …

• Land Warfare

  Northrop to support GMLRS programme

  21st September 2018

  Northrop Grumman has received a full rate production contract from Lockheed Martin to deliver insensitive munitions (IM) rocket motors for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket …

• Defence Notes

  ADAS 2018: Philippine fighters enter the fray

  29th September 2018

  Saab attracted attention at ADAS 2018 with the display of a mock-up of the JAS 39 Gripen fighter, one that President Rodrigo Duterte examined in …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop completes CDR of WSN-12

  7th September 2018

  Northrop Grumman has successfully completed the Critical Design Review phase of the US Navy’s WSN-12 Inertial Sensor Module programme, the company announced on 5 September. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan requests E-2D AEW&C aircraft

  13th September 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) airborne early warning and control (AEW&C;) …

• Defence Notes

  US approves possible sale of early-warning planes to Japan

  11th September 2018

  The US State Department said on 10 September that it is ready to approve the sale of up to nine early-warning military planes to Japan, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop, DARPA set new wireless transmission standard

  28th August 2018

  Northrop Grumman and DARPA have set a new standard for wireless transmission by operating a data link at 100 gigabits per second (Gbps) over a …

• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2018: Polish ammo under precision testing

  5th September 2018

  Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems (NGIS) is in the early stages of integrating its Precision Guided Kit (PGK) onto a Polish-made 155mm round. To date the …

• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2018: Poland’s Patriot Phase II talks underway

  6th September 2018

  Poland opted for the Patriot air defence system from Raytheon in March 2018, since then the company has been in talks with the government for …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop’s IBCS shows long-distance capability

  21st August 2018

  Northrop Grumman's Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS) has  successfully demonstrated the ability to scale up and network across long distances …

• Naval Warfare

  Northrop supports OPC final design review

  9th August 2018

  Northrop Grumman is providing support to Eastern Shipbuilding Group during the Final Critical Design Review for the US Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) programme, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop delivers first GaN G/ATOR system to USMC

  31st July 2018

  Northrop Grumman has delivered the first AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) that incorporates advanced high power and high efficiency gallium nitride (GaN) antenna technology to …

• Digital Battlespace

  Saab to upgrade Thai air C2 network

  8th August 2018

  Saab announced on 7 August that it has been contracted to upgrade and enhance the Royal Thai Air Force’s (RTAF) existing Air Command and Control …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 - 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 - MALE

  Marine Unmanned Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft (MUX TACAIR) (Contracted) [USMC]

  Background MUX umbrella Since 2016, the USMC has sought to acquire a UAV that can be deployed from a vessel, used for various missions, and ...

• 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 - 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 ...

• 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

  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 ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Marine Unmanned Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft (MUX TACAIR) (Uncontracted) [USMC]

  Background MUX umbrella Since 2016, the USMC has sought to acquire a UAV that can be deployed from a vessel, used for various missions, and ...

• 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 ...

• Bomber

  B-21 Raider [USA]

  Programme Background Development The US DoD is developing a new long-range bomber called the B-21 Raider, previously known as LRS-B. At least 100 units are ...

• Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 1) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  RangeHawk (RQ-4 Global Hawk) [US]

  Background Contract award Northrop Grumman announced in May 2026 that it had secured a $325.5 million contract from the US Army to develop the RangeHawk ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-25 Stingray (16-76) [USN]

  Background Initial requirements The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four Preliminary Design Review (PDR) contracts to Boeing, General Atomics, ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) (Increment 2) [USAF]

  Background Increment 1 In January 2024, during the first increment of the USAF’s CCA effort, the USAF awarded contracts to Anduril, Boeing, General Atomics (GA-ASI), ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - small

  ANCILLARY

  Northrop Grumman has developed a demonstrator tail-sitter UAV for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) ANCILLARY programme. Northrop states its design is a cost-efficient, multiple-mission capable vehicle built ...

• 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 ...

• Military - UUVs

  Manta Ray

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

• 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 ...

• ISR/special mission

  Firebird

  Manufactured by Northrop Grumman, the Firebird is a unique platform that features different cockpit configurations. This feature allows the Firebird to be configured as either an uncrewed ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  H-1 Family of Avionics

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

• Military UAS - MALE

  YFQ-48A Talon Blue

  The YFQ-48A Talon Blue is a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) from Northrop Grumman and Scaled Composites. Unveiled in December 2025, the system is reportedly lighter ...

• 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 UAS - MALE

  Model 437

  Scaled Composites, a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman, unveiled the Model 437 in September 2021. The conceptual UAS is derived from a Model 401, or Son of Ares. It ...

• Air: aerial targets

  BQM-74F

  Building on the BQM-74E, the BQM-74F aerial target was developed by Northrop Grumman under a USN contract. Introduced in 2005, it has a new airframe ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-80

  The AN/APG-80 is an X-band active electronically scanned array radar system with approximately 1,000 transmit/receive modules, designed for continuous search and multi-target tracking capabilities in ...

• Guided munitions

  Viper Strike

  The GBU-44/B Viper Strike is an air-launched precision-guided munition (PGM) equipped with a relatively small-shaped charge warhead. It has been optimised for employment in urban ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  X-47B UCAS

  The X-47B is a tailless, strike fighter-sized unmanned aircraft, which was developed as part of the USN's Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration project. The aircraft ...

• Bomber

  B-21 Raider

  The B-21 Raider is a strategic stealth bomber aircraft being developed by Northrop Grumman to succeed the B-1 and B-2 fleets in the USAF service. ...

• Cannons

  30/40mm Mk44 Bushmaster

  The 30mm/40mm Mk44 Bushmaster automatic cannon is a next-generation chain gun weapon in widespread use. The weapon has been designed for system simplicity, external power, ...