• Defence Notes

  North Korean parade shows massive investment in military weapons

  14th October 2020

  North Korea’s military held a spectacular night-time parade on 10 October to mark the 75th anniversary of the Workers’ Party of Korea. Amidst a dazzling …

• Naval Warfare

  Facing threats, Taiwan reinforces Pratas Islands and its navy

  14th September 2020

  The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been noticeably escalating its level of activity in the Taiwan Strait and around the island nation, to probe the …

• Defence Notes

  US picks SpaceX and ULA for NSSL Phase 2

  10th August 2020

  United Launch Alliance (ULA) and SpaceX rockets will be used to launch US Space Force payloads under National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 2, the DoD announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Hermes takes flight off the UK coast

  11th September 2020

  Elbit Systems announced on 11 September that its Hermes 900 MALE UAV has successfully completed a series of flight demonstrations for the UK Maritime and Coastguard …

• Digital Battlespace

  First LRDR array is in place, says Lockheed

  26th August 2020

  Engineers from Lockheed Martin and the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) have completed installation of the first 60ft x 60ft Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) array in …

• Air Warfare

  Japan to start receiving JSM from March 2022

  8th September 2020

  Japan is to take delivery of the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) in March 2022, according to the defence ministry and national media. Kongsberg Defence & …

• Digital Battlespace

  Teledyne to help cool X-band radars

  21st August 2020

  Teledyne Brown Engineering announced on 20 August that it has been awarded a $29 million contract from Raytheon to produce and sustain cooling equipment units …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RAF uses Leonardo C-UAS technology in R&D programme

  4th September 2020

  Leonardo has delivered the first of four modular ORCUS C-UAS systems to the UK, to support the next stage of an RAF R&D; programme run …

• Digital Battlespace

  NGJ-MB passes flight test milestone

  12th August 2020

  The Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) for the USN successfully completed its first mission systems flight from Naval Air Station Patuxent River on 7 August, under …

• Defence Notes

  US Army researches self-healing material for autonomous systems

  9th September 2020

  The US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has developed a new material that can autonomously heal in air and underwater, with plans now to expand the …

• Air Warfare

  KF-X prototype assembly continues apace

  28th July 2020

  The top, middle and bottom parts of the fuselage of the first KF-X prototype, a new South Korean 4.5-generation twin-engine fighter, are being assembled by …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russia tries to close MALE UAV gap

  9th September 2020

  Russian manufacturer Kronstadt Group unveiled important developments in domestic UAV technology in late August, during the Army 2020 exhibition near Moscow. In particular, three platforms …

• Digital Battlespace

  NATO experts develop ARTEMIS for sUAS detection

  4th September 2020

  A team at the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency has built an experimental prototype to detect, identify and localise small UASs (sUASs) using low-cost …

• Air Warfare

  Armenian Su-25 modernisation typifies wider trend

  3rd September 2020

  Four Su-25 ground attack aircraft operated by the Armenian Air Force will be upgraded to the Su-25SM3 standard, as it seeks to evolve its capabilities …

• Digital Battlespace

  Leidos to help improve F/A-18 electronic countermeasures

  28th August 2020

  Leidos has been awarded a $58.91 million contract modification by US Naval Air Systems Command, to develop adaptive radar countermeasure software and firmware (ARC SW/FW) …

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]

  Programme 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

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

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

  Programme 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, ...

• 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: 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 ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/APQ-181

  The AN/APQ-181 is a low-probability-of-intercept radar fitted to USAF Northrop Grumman B-2 stealth bombers. During the B-2 Radar Modernization Program – completed in 2012 – the ...

• 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. 

• 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-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 ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: UAS radar

  AN/ZPY-5 VADER

  The Vehicle and Dismount Exploitation Radar (VADER) is an airborne radar system designed primarily for military applications. It is designed to track vehicles and foot 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: Integrated cockpit systems

  H-1 Family of Avionics

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

• 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: 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: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  AN/ALR-67B(V)2

  The AN/ALR-67 series Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) has been produced both by Northrop Grumman and Raytheon. It is one of the most widely used RWRs ...