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Northrop Grumman has secured a US$70 million ($101.8 million) 28-month contract to transform the software development process for the US Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS) to an agile development framework.
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Under the contract, awarded by the Aviation Missile Technology Consortium (AMTC), Northrop Grumman and the US Army will partner to prototype an agile development process in order to build, test and field capabilities faster to respond to current and emerging needs.
As part of the Agile Technical Insertion initiative, IBCS was designated among a number of high priority programs to adopt an agile development methodology to enable maturation of the system.
Dan Verwiel, vice president and general manager, combat systems and mission readiness defence systems, Northrop Grumman, explained, "This contract brings IBCS into a new era of software development, enabling the rapid integration of new capabilities and improvements to further IBCS’s survivable battle management architecture using an agile software development process."
With its open systems architecture, IBCS allows incorporation of current and future sensors and effectors, and enables interoperability with joint C2 and the ballistic missile defence system.
This modular open system architecture optimises the benefits of agile techniques and methodologies, including frequent, ongoing and rapid “agile sprints” to develop and test incremental software advancements.
"By combining our industry leading capabilities in agile software development and DevSecOps with our extensive expertise on the IBCS program, we can rapidly respond to warfighter requirements and bring innovative solutions to IBCS," Verwiel added.
This transformational approach will enable greater responsiveness to current and emerging needs that support mission objectives and avoid costly rework later in the development cycle.
Designed to connect the force for unified action against evolving threats, IBCS is a net-centric command and control system for the air and missile defence mission.
IBCS enhances battlefield survivability by creating a resilient self-healing network of all available sensors that can reduce and eliminate vectors of attack while providing operators with a single integrated air picture of unprecedented accuracy and a broader defended area.
The AIR 6500 Project presents an opportunity for Australian industry to participate in an exciting and strategically important program to build and maintain an enduring and regionally superior Australian capability with an opportunity to enter export markets.
The ADF's existing air defence systems will be upgraded or replaced by Project AIR 6500. This investment will provide the foundation for an enhanced integrated air and missile defence system for the ADF, ensuring that the delivered system is able to fuse and share information to enhance the accuracy and speed of ADF's systems response to air and missile threats.
The delivered architecture will have the flexibility for further enhancement to handle more complex threats and to integrate new technologies as they emerge.
The ADF will also acquire ground-based active electronically scanned array radars from around 2020 and expand Australia's access to air and space situational awareness information, including through space-based systems.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, space, strike, and logistics and modernisation to customers worldwide.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
