Inside Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman - Anyone Can Dream

Northrop Grumman - OpenPod™ Sensor Swap

Northrop Grumman - Aircraft TV Commercial (Alternate Ending)

Northrop Grumman video reveals more info on its Tern UAS

TEAM LMS Product Overview

Northrop Grumman Link Management System

F-35 project so far

Northrop Grumman - 6th Gen Hypersonic Stealth Fighter Concept Unveiled

Northrop Grumman - B-2 Stealth Bomber

Northrop Grumman's LITENING Digital, High Definition Video Sharpens the F-16's Vision

Northrop Grumman Corporation has received production awards totaling $74 million to bring digital, high definition video from the AN/AAQ-28(V) LITENING G4 Advanced Targeting System to the cockpit.

With the upgrade installed, pilots will be able to take full advantage of LITENING G4's high definition sensors and advanced image processing, giving them a new level of image clarity and situational awareness. The upgrade, which is being rolled out on the F-16, is applicable to any LITENING G4 system.

Under the terms of the indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract, Northrop Grumman will provide upgrades and spares for Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard LITENING G4 targeting pods.

"LITENING's digital, high definition video is a game changer that takes full advantage of the outstanding LITENING sensors and the new aircraft displays," said Jim Mocarski, vice president of Northrop Grumman's Airborne Tactical Sensors business unit. "This upgrade is another example of our 'affordable firsts' philosophy that brings customer-requested features to the field in a rapid and budget-conscious manner."

The LITENING G4 Advanced Targeting Pod delivers the latest advancements in sensor, laser imaging and data link technology. LITENING's technologies include digital, high definition video, 1K forward-looking infrared and charge-coupled device sensors, short wave infrared laser imaging, color symbology, tracker improvements and enhanced zoom. These advancements deliver more accurate target identification and location at longer ranges than previous generations of LITENING targeting pods while reducing pilot workload.

More than 700 LITENING pods have been delivered to date to the Marine Corps, all components of the Air Force and eight international customers. The pod has been integrated on variants of the A-10, AV-8B, B-52, F-15, F-16 and F/A-18.

Northrop Grumman Unveil NATO AGS Aircraft

NATO recently expanded its joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability with the help of Northrop Grumman and its industry partners.

Together they recently unveiled the first NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance aircraft in Palmdale, California, according to a news release. The wide area surveillance Global Hawk unmanned aircraft is part of a broader system of systems solution designed to advance the Alliance’s ISR needs during various missions. These missions include protecting ground troops and civilian populations, humanitarian assistance during natural disasters, crisis management, border control and maritime safety, and the fight against terrorism.

“This marks a significant step forward in achieving NATO’s goal of acquiring NATO-owned and operated AGS Core Capability,” said Erling Wang, chairman of the NATO AGS Management Organization (NAGSMO), according to the release. “What you see here today is the result of one of the commitments made at the 2012 NATO Summit – to bring this advanced and critical persistent ISR capability to the Alliance to help ensure we can continue to address the range of challenges our member and other allied nations face.”

This is a NATO-owned and operated program made up of five air vehicles and fixed, mobile and transportable ground stations, according to the release. Northrop Grumman’s primary industrial team includes Airbus Defence and Space (Germany), Selex ES (Italy) and Kongsberg (Norway), as well as leading defense companies from all 15 participating countries. All 28 Alliance nations will take part in the long-term support of the program.

“The level of collaboration required to bring together successfully so many international partners in the development of this tremendous system of systems capability for NATO speaks to the commitment and strength of the trans-Atlantic relationships we have built with our key partners, to deliver what is truly a European program,” said Janis Pamiljans, sector vice president and general manager, unmanned systems, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, according to the release.

The Global Hawk has the ability to fly for up to 30 hours at a time and to reach high altitudes, giving it the ability to provide NATO leaders with persistent global situational awareness, according to the release.

The aircraft comes equipped with advanced technology, such as the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) sensor, according to the release. This sensor provides critical data to commanders during operations, no matter the weather or time of day. The system also has the ability to fuse sensor data, continuously detect and track moving objects and provide detailed imagery.

Northrop Grumman converts LITENING into IRST pod

 Changing, integrating or upgrading sensors on a military aircraft can be an expensive, time-consuming and complex endeavor. Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) new OpenPod(TM) sensor system, unveiled at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., overcomes these challenges by making it possible for maintainers to swap sensors in theater.

The OpenPod(TM) system consists of line-replaceable units and a set of interchangeable sensors that can be swapped out in minutes. Enabled by open architecture principles, OpenPod(TM) is the first of its kind to accommodate a range of sensors with one pod.

"The battlespace can change quickly. OpenPod(TM) keeps the complexity of the mission in mind by allowing warfighters to match the sensors to the mission quickly, giving them flexibility they have never had before," said James Mocarski, vice president, Airborne Tactical Sensors business unit, Northrop Grumman. "When you have OpenPod(TM), you can have IRST, you can have targeting, you can have communications without having to acquire multiple pods. That gives our customers a significant affordability advantage."

OpenPod(TM) will be available with targeting and IRST packages at launch, followed by communications, LIDAR, 5th-to-4th generation communications and other options in in the future. Because the pod allows for sensor changes without modifications to the aircraft or mission computer, OpenPod(TM) can be upgraded independent of the aircraft. That allows for more rapid and affordable upgrades and integration of new technologies.

OpenPod(TM) is the next step in sensor evolution for users of the AN/AAQ-28(V) LITENING family of advanced targeting systems. Any LITENING pod can be converted to an OpenPod(TM), so operators can take full advantage of their existing investments, training and operational experience

Northrop Grumman Completes US Navy CANES Shipboard Networking Milestone

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has successfully completed the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) program's design, development and limited deployment phase for the U.S. Navy.

CANES is a programmatic and technical consolidation of five legacy shipboard network programs. CANES provides a modern, common computing environment across the fleet to upgrade cybersecurity, command and control, communications and intelligence (C4I) and streamline logistics.

"We are honored and proud to contribute significantly to this critical component of the Navy's modernization plan," said Sam Abbate, vice president and general manager, command and control division, Northrop Grumman Information Systems. "By maximizing commonality, Northrop Grumman has delivered dozens of affordable, highly capable shipsets to enable warfighter information dominance."

Since winning the contract for the design and limited-production run for CANES in early 2012, Northrop Grumman has delivered 37 shipsets for various ship classes. The company leveraged its cyber expertise to ensure cyber-robust CANES systems. The company also applied its Modular Open Systems Approach-Competitive TM process to encourage continuous competition and achieve the lifecycle benefits of open systems architecture and commercial off-the-shelf components and software.

"The Navy used one of our CANES configurations and applied it to a destroyer and a cruiser, demonstrating the flexibility of our design to reduce network variants by ship class," Abbate said.

CANES will be installed on all platforms in the Navy's inventory objective, which includes ships, submarines and land sites. CANES installations have been successfully completed on several aircraft carriers and cruisers and on multiple destroyers. Installations continue on carriers, an amphibious assault ship, landing dock ships, cruisers and destroyers.

Northrop Grumman is a leading provider of full-spectrum cyber solutions to the United States government and to allied nations around the world. The company has more than 40 years of C4ISR experience and has fielded the majority of the Navy's C4ISR applications.

Northrop Grumman - Increasing a F-35 Pilot's Awareness

And you thought Apple products were expensive and Apple was hitting new highs every day

Northrop Grumman Delivers First Operational MQ-8C Fire Scout to the US Navy

Photo - Northrop Grumman newswires

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has delivered the first operational MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter to the U.S. Navy. The system will be used by ship-based commanders to improve the Navy's intelligence-gathering capabilities.The MQ-8C is an upgraded version of the existing MQ-8B Fire Scout using a larger airframe. It can fly nearly twice as long and carry three times more intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance payloads.

"The test program will run through the summer as we expect these aircraft to be ready for operations by year's end," said George Vardoulakis, vice president for medium range tactical systems with Northrop Grumman.The MQ-8C's first ship-board flight tests aboard the USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) will be conducted this winter. The Navy will then assess the system for operational use.

Northrop Grumman is under contract to build 19 MQ-8C Fire Scouts, including two test aircraft. The Navy plans to purchase 70 aircraft total.

Northrop Grumman Introduces Viper™ 2.1 Laser

Photo - Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Laser Systems business unit has announced its new Viper™ 2.1 laser, featuring a form factor and interface for use on all directed infrared countermeasure (DIRCM) systems.The Viper™ 2.1 is the latest in the family of Viper™ lasers designed specifically for DIRCM systems. After five years of funding, development and testing, the Viper™ 2.1 will soon be ready for full-scale production alongside the venerable Viper™ family of DIRCM lasers.

Viper™ lasers have been fielded and are in full operation on approximately 55 different types of rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, protecting the aircraft, crew and cargo in every theatre of conflict.

Northrop Grumman - High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAS Capabilities

The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Block 10 Global Hawk is currently supporting the U.S. Air Force in the global war on terrorism. During 2006, two air systems logged more than 8,000 combat hours conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The Global Hawks are operated overseas by USAF pilots from a mission control element stationed at Beale Air Force Base in Northern California. A launch and recovery element and a combined USAF and Northrop Grumman team are forward deployed with the air systems. The Global Hawk is equipped with electro-optical, infrared and synthetic aperture radar sensors to provide high-quality real-time imagery.

Specifications

Few aircraft have shown such utility and deployment capability so early in flight testing. Global Hawk's autonomous high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) flight characteristics are proven. The air vehicle flies at altitudes up to 65,000 feet for up to 35 hours at speeds approaching 340 knots. It can image an area the size of the state of Illinois in just one mission. During its trials with the Air Force's 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron and during its first deployment in Operation Enduring Freedom, the Global Hawk system was shown to be flexible and dynamically re-taskable.

Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration

Two Block 10 Global Hawks are currently being used in the U.S. Navy's Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration (GHMD) program. Stationed at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., the air systems are being used to help define the concept of operations for maritime surveillance. The GHMD has participated in naval exercises including Trident Warrior '05, Rimpac '06, and the congressionally directed demonstration.

Historical Program Objectives

Global Hawk has its origins in the 1995 High-Altitude Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrator (HAE UAV ACTD) program initiated by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office (DARO). The Global Hawk effort succeeded because it focused on the design and construction of a practical air vehicle that was developmentally mature enough to be transitioned into an operational weapons system.

Northrop Grumman X 47B UCAV

Northrop Grumman Selected to Modernize Black Hawk Cockpit for US Army

Northrop Grumman press release

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been selected by Redstone Defense Systems to supply and integrate mission avionics equipment for a digital cockpit upgrade of the U.S. Army's UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters.

Northrop Grumman will provide a scalable, fully integrated mission equipment package for the UH‑60L cockpit and will replace the older analog gauges with digital electronic instrument displays. The new designation for this upgraded aircraft will be UH-60V. The system virtually replicates the newer UH‑60M pilot-vehicle interface, providing a common training environment.

Northrop Grumman's design solution has already been demonstrated through a flight test on a UH-60L helicopter. The system features a centralized processor with a partitioned, modular operational flight program with an integrated architecture that enables new capabilities through software-only solutions rather than hardware additions. The architecture maximizes the UH-60L platform performance and reliability while minimizing total life cycle cost. The system is also smaller in size, lower in weight and requires less power than legacy processing systems.

Northrop Grumman Flies First Production Smart Node Pod

Smartnode Pod on Firebird UAV

Northrop Grumman Corporation has completed a series of flight tests demonstrating the first production Smart Node Pod for the U.S. Air Force.

Smart Node Pod is an aircraft-mounted airborne communications system that allows real-time information to be exchanged among many disparate military and commercial radios and different datalinks, extends the network to the forward edge of the battlefield and relays full-motion video.

Northrop Grumman conducted five flights to certify performance characteristics in February in Virginia Beach, Va. During the flights, the Smart Node Pod demonstrated the ability to transmit full-motion video, imagery, voice and digital messages between warfighters both in the air and on the ground via various waveforms and datalinks and its interoperability with the proprietary and open source forward tactical handheld devices.

The company is under contract to produce Smart Node Pod systems for the Air Force, with deliveries scheduled through mid-summer of this year. Two different pod designs – a single-pod and a multipod architecture – are in production."This proven, reliable technology gives an extremely capable but lightweight communications, situational awareness, and command and control capability that can be readily mounted on many different military aircraft and controlled by the deployed commander," said Jeannie Hilger, vice president, Network Communication Systems, Northrop Grumman Information Systems.

Hilger said the pod can connect to the high-altitude Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) platforms, ground operational centers or other pods for beyond-line-of sight connectivity and provides access to high level intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data and command and control information. "In this manner, Smart Node Pod has the capability to augment BACN in its anchor role as the persistent high altitude gateway of the Joint Aerial Layer Network (JALN) by providing connectivity at the lower tier. Working in unison, Smart Node Pod and BACN have the potential to expand warfighter benefits by building out a multitiered JALN architecture and providing network connectivity across the battlespace."

Smart Node Pod is based on BACN technology Northrop Grumman developed for the Air Force.