• Digital Battlespace

  MADL combat ready for USMC

  4th August 2015

  Northrop Grumman's Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) waveform has been proven combat-ready, with the US Marine Corps (USMC) declaring initial operating capability (IOC) for the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Ferra bags Triton UAS supplier contract

  31st July 2015

  Ferra Engineering has been awarded the first Australian supplier contract for the initial production lot of the US Navy's MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS), …

• Digital Battlespace

  US considers DIRCM sale to UAE

  30th July 2015

  The US state department has approved a potential foreign military sale of AN/AAQ 24(V) Directional Infrared Countermeasures (DIRCM) systems to the UAE, the Defense Security …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop demonstrates OMS architecture

  22nd July 2015

  Northrop Grumman has demonstrated that the US Air Force's Open Mission Systems (OMS) architecture standards can be integrated across various platforms and systems, including UAS, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Hughes transmits through rotor blades

  22nd July 2015

  Hughes Network Systems' Defense and Intelligence Systems Division (DISD) has demonstrated the real-time transmission of video through helicopter blades using new beyond-line-of-sight (BLoS) technology. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australian Herons fly in civil airspace

  20th July 2015

  The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) flew its pair of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Heron UAVs in civil airspace from a civil airport for the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed Martin eyes export market for Legion Pod

  17th July 2015

  A new multi-function sensor pod developed by Lockheed Martin to give aircraft infra-red search and track (IRST) capabilities could soon be exported to foreign customers. …

• Defence Helicopter

  FlightPro Gen III for USMC H-1 helicopters

  13th July 2015

  Northrop Grumman has been awarded a contract to provide its FlightPro Gen III mission computers for Lot 12 of the US Marine Corps' (USMC) H-1 …

• Digital Battlespace

  GPS III satellite competition heats up

  6th July 2015

  The big fight between prime contractors for the US Air Force’s follow-on GPS III satellite contract is taking shape. Thermal vacuum testing is due to …

• Digital Battlespace

  E-2D refuelling system passes CDR

  1st July 2015

  The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye's Aerial Refuelling (AR) system has completed its critical design review (CDR) conducted by the US Navy and Northrop Grumman, it was …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Global Hawk flies with OMS architecture

  23rd June 2015

  Northrop Grumman has successfully flown an Open Mission Systems (OMS) architecture on a NASA Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS). The architecture implementation flight, which took …

• Digital Battlespace

  US approves Aegis sale to ROK Navy

  10th June 2015

  South Korea has taken a step closer to the purchase of three Aegis shipboard combat systems, following the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency's (DSCA) notification to Congress …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  NATO unveils first AGS UAV

  8th June 2015

  NATO, along with Northrop Grumman and industry partners, unveiled its first Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) UAV on 4 June. The aircraft is a wide-area surveillance …

• Digital Battlespace

  CANES passes first deployment

  3rd June 2015

  Northrop Grumman has completed the design, development and limited deployment phase of the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) programme for the US Navy, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China advances UAV tech

  3rd June 2015

  China's UAV industry is emerging in both military and civilian sectors, employing 3D-printed UAVs and a new military UAV. A Chinese Antarctic Expedition Team has …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 - 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Data links

  Data links | 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: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up 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 ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | 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

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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.

• R-Bat

  The Rotary Bat (R-Bat) is the rotary-wing member of the Bat family of sUAS. The R-Bat was designed with Yamaha Motor USA and has been ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  H-1 Family of Avionics

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

• 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, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, 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, and ...

• 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 ...

• 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: 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 ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  30mm PGU-15B Training Practice Round

  The 30mm PGU-15B Training Practice (TP) Round is a medium-calibre training round manufactured by Northrop Grumman.

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 ...