By Linzee Burch
Northrop Grumman delivers critical capabilities and advanced weapon systems to maximize combat effectiveness and ensure mission readiness to meet the demands of the future. Here is how Northrop Grumman is delivering the U.S Army superior capabilities to enable the protection of our nation and deterrence of our adversaries.
The Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) is the cornerstone of the U.S. Army's air and missile defense modernization strategy, replacing the multiple current air and missile defense command and control systems with a single system. This multi-domain command and control system unifies sensors and shooters across the battlespace to create a single integrated air picture, providing the warfighter unprecedented time to accurately decide on the best shooter to defend against incoming threats.
Northrop Grumman has a comprehensive perspective and the innovative strength to leverage against the challenge of realizing a fully joint and combined all domain C2 future. From model-based system engineering, to connected sensors and effectors – JADC2 demonstrates multi-domain and joint service mission operations, informed by our end-to-end mission thread knowledge. The U.S. Army’s adoption of Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) allows the connectivity of information with other military branches to enable quicker decision making and joint force protection.
Onboard survivability is the standard today, but in the future, it will be just one way of protecting warfighters. Systems may be tasked with defending single aircraft or entire missions, a concept known as distributed survivability. Future threats may be multispectral, but so are our solutions. Northrop Grumman's AN/APR-39 Digital Radar Warning Receiver Family and Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM) are currently in service on multiple Army platforms. Whether infrared or radio frequency, there's nowhere for threats to hide.
Medium caliber Bushmaster Chain Guns are providing superior effects on several U.S. Army programs to ensure battlefield advantage. The 50mm XM913 is the weapon designed for the new XM30 Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) program. The Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) is protecting the warfighters with the 30mm XM813 weapon system. The 30mm XM914 provides a kinetic solution to Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems on the Initial Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD) program and the Mobile, Low, Slow, Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System (M-LIDS) program.
Northrop Grumman's advanced medium-caliber ammunition is the next-generation technology capable of programmable airburst, proximity airburst and guidance to meet emerging threats that couldn't be defeated otherwise. This is direct fire ammunition used in engagements ranging from aircraft firing air-to-air and air-to-ground, to ground forces such as the U.S. Army's Bradley Fighting Vehicles and Stryker Infantry Carriers taking out ground and aerial targets.
Northrop Grumman's solid rocket motor and warhead deliver the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS), a ballistic rocket designed to engage targets from 15 to 70 kilometers. Our safety enhancing insensitive munition provides the system structural integrity under extreme conditions such as heat, shock and adjacent detonations, which adds an increased level of safety for the warfighter. Northrop Grumman has designed and constructed a purpose-built manufacturing facility at Allegany Ballistics Laboratory to support the increased demand for higher quantities of the critical weapon system.
Northrop Grumman's live, virtual and constructive training capabilities help warfighters achieve next-level readiness and decision-making skills for the future battlespace. Mission Command Training Program (MCTP) delivers mission rehearsal and advanced training to the U.S. Army to prepare senior military leaders and warfighters to be mission ready, future ready. Mission Training Complex Capabilities Support (MTCCS) III Corps provides high-quality, simulation-driven training tools for commanders to conduct individual leader and collective mission command training up to and including Corps and Joint Task Force operations.
Northrop Grumman is an industry-leading mission systems integrator, providing MOSA compliant solutions for an array of mission sets that are extensible to a wide variety of platforms using open standards, interfaces and software architectures. Northrop Grumman’s modularity and open architecture design principles allow systems to easily integrate and be platform agnostic, ensuring lethality, survivability and relevance for decades. From helping write the standards with the FACE Consortium to deploying MOSA across product lines, our software has been connecting disparate systems for years. The FACE and DO-178C model-based design architecture is flying with the Army today on the transformational UH-60V helicopter and has demonstrated its extensibility via third party software integration on multiple platforms.
Northrop Grumman has been at the forefront of sensor technology for decades, supporting critical Army platforms like the AH-64 and the MQ-1C Grey Eagle. Using our Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar expertise, we can develop advanced multifunction solutions that ultimately enable warfighters to make better, faster and more reliable decisions. Multifunction sensors consolidate multiple capabilities, like radar, electronic warfare and communications, into a single sensor, decreasing both the number of systems needed and the size, weight and power requirements for the advanced capabilities.
Northrop Grumman is partnering with Lockheed Martin to produce the U.S. Army's Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) Inc. 1 to replace the MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), significantly extending range and doubling the load out. The company's significant investments in digital technologies drive affordability and speed to allow for the quick turnaround of a production ready PrSM system to support the U.S. Army's request for an early operational capability.
Additionally, Northrop Grumman is working collaboratively with Raytheon, an RTX company, and the Australian Defence Forces to advance the design for the Long Range Maneuverable Fires program, intended to become Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) Inc. 4, to increase capacity within the launch system and achieve optimal range extension.
The U.S. Army recently awarded Northrop Grumman a contract to qualify the next generation Precision Guidance Kit (PGK) for artillery. PGK-E5 adds enhancements for improved performance in a GPS degraded environment to Northrop Grumman’s existing PGK, while maintaining the current guidance kit’s accuracy and reliability. This will add to the 100,000 PGKs already delivered to the U.S. Army.
As the US Government's premier partner for tank ammunition, Northrop Grumman is currently completing design refinement of the M1147 AMP – the next-generation 120mm Advanced Multi-Purpose round. AMP will transition into full rate production in 2024 and provides increased capability for the U.S. Army's Abrams Main Battle Tank. Supporting training readiness for the U.S. Army, Northrop Grumman is currently producing increased quantities of tank training ammunition and developing a next generation training round to replicate the AMP round in the training environment.
Northrop Grumman supports the U.S. Army’s modernization transformation and readiness by developing and delivering highly technical, critical capabilities to soldiers and combat formations. These systems will give warfighters the advantage through superior capabilities they need to win the fight, today and beyond.
Northrop Grumman provides sensors, systems, and technologies essential to connecting and controlling the Joint Force on full-scale combat operations.
Onboard survivability is the standard today, but in the future, it will be just one way of protecting warfighters.
Medium caliber Bushmaster Chain Guns are providing superior effects on several U.S. Army programs to ensure battlefield advantage.
Northrop Grumman’s advanced medium-caliber ammunition is the next-generation technology to meet emerging threats.
Northrop Grumman’s solid rocket motor and warhead deliver the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS).
Northrop Grumman’s live, virtual and constructive training capabilities help warfighters achieve next-level readiness and decision-making skills for the future battlespace.
The future of vertical lift is nothing if not diverse, encompassing the familiar airframes of the current fleet and the platforms in development across the services.
Northrop Grumman has been at the forefront of sensor technology for decades, supporting critical Army platforms like the AH-64 and the MQ-1C Grey Eagle.
Northrop Grumman is partnering with Lockheed Martin to produce the U.S. Army’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) Inc. 1.
The U.S. Army recently awarded Northrop Grumman a contract to qualify the next generation Precision Guidance Kit for artillery.
Northrop Grumman is currently completing design refinement of the M1147 AMP—the next-generation 120mm Advanced Multi-purpose round.
Linzee Burch
480-349-2097