• Defence Helicopter

  Bell offers Vigilant tiltrotor UAV for FVL maritime strike requirement

  7th April 2022

  At the Navy League meeting on 4-6 April, Bell displayed a model of a specially adapted V-247 crewless tiltrotor for the USN’s Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike requirement.

• Air Warfare

  Ghostrider gunships receive upgraded EW countermeasure

  3rd March 2022

  ALQ-251 RFCM systems aboard AC-130J Ghostrider aircraft are designed to protect against EW systems and radar-guided weapons in contested environments.

• Air Warfare

  First Japanese Global Hawk touches down on home soil

  13th March 2022

  The JASDF's new Global Hawks will be able to monitor North Korean missile launch preparations and be useful in the wake of natural disasters.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Debut deployment and future capabilities spark MQ-8C export interest

  24th February 2022

  Now that the MQ-8C Fire Scout has entered service and with a variety of new capabilities potentially being integrated on the aircraft, export orders could soon be on their way.

• Land Warfare

  Northrop Grumman gains NGHTS production contract

  18th February 2022

  Northrop Grumman will produce its Next Generation Targeting Handheld System for the USMC.

• Air Warfare

  NATO next-generation ISR plans take shape

  4th April 2022

  As NATO's existing E-3A Sentry AWACS aircraft are set to retire in 2035, the alliance plans to introduce a new networked ISR capability across all domains.

• Defence Notes

  Northrop Grumman successfully demonstrates new JADC2 solution

  10th February 2022

  Northrop Grumman has demonstrated new communications capabilities that will help the US DoD JADC2 goals.

• Defence Notes

  US postpones Minuteman III test launch in bid to ease nuclear tension

  3rd March 2022

  The US decision to delay a test launch of the Minuteman III land-based strategic nuclear missile was taken to de-escalate tensions with Russia, after Vladimir Putin ordered a special alert of nuclear forces last week.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Singapore Airshow 2022: Australia investigates interim option for Triton facilities

  15th February 2022

  The Australian Department of Defence has started to assess potential interim facilities for RAAF MQ-4C Triton UAVs.

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman announces AARGM-ER second flight

  9th February 2022

  Development of the AARGM-ER continues with its second successful test flight.

• Land Warfare

  WDS 2022: Saudis showcase indigenous RWS range

  9th March 2022

  New Saudi-made remote weapon stations and other indigenously developed equipment were on display at WDS 2022.

• Defence Notes

  FTC lawsuit cripples Lockheed bid for Aerojet

  14th February 2022

  Lockheed Martin has officially withdrawn its bid to buy missile propulsion systems specialist Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings.

• Digital Battlespace

  Next-Gen OPIR Block 0 moves on after thermal vacuum tests

  11th February 2022

  Raytheon has completed thermal vacuum tests of its sensor payload aboard the next-generation US geosynchronous missile warning satellite.

• Air Warfare

  USN receives ISR-configured Triton

  7th February 2022

  NAVAIR has taken delivery of the first MQ-4C Triton configured for USN ISR requirements.

• Land Warfare

  Thailand to test out combat UGV

  10th February 2022

  An armed variant of the THeMIS UGV will be tested and evaluated by the Royal Thai Army and the Thai Defence Technology Institute

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  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) [USA]

  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) [USA]

  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) [USA]

  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) [USA]

  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

• 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: Integrated cockpit systems

  H-1 Family of Avionics

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

• 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: Defensive Systems - MLDS, EO/IR systems

  AN/AAQ-37 DAS

  Although not electronic warfare apparatus in the purest sense, Northrop Grumman/Raytheon’s AN/AAQ-37 optronic distributed aperture system is still tactically relevant to this mission. The AN/AAQ-37 ...

• 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: sonar systems

  AQS-24B

  The AQS-24B is an airborne and surface minehunting system, designed for the USN and coalition partners. On 21 September 2016, it was announced that Northrop ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  APR-39(V)

  The ARP-39(V) is an RWR system for combat helicopters, low-speed aircraft and fast attack craft. The system comprises two dual-video receivers, four spiral cavity-backed antennas, ...

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

  AN/ZPY-5 VADER

  The Vehicle and Dismount Exploitation Radar (VADER) is being developed for use with the Sky Warrior UAV to enable accurate ground moving target indication data ...

• 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: aerial targets

  Chukar III

  The Chukar III, based on Northrop Grumman’s BQM-74E developed for the USN, is a high subsonic aerial jet target for export customers.

• EO/IR systems

  LITENING

  LITENING is an EO/IR pod that detects, acquires, identifies and tracks targets at extended ranges. According to Northrop Grumman, it enables various missions, including precision targeting, ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  ITAS

  Northrop Grumman is a major producer of tactical information management systems for maritime patrol, ASW, ASuW, SAR and related applications. The Northrop Grumman AN/ASN-150 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 ...