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The prime is set to commence low-rate production of its air and missile defence system for the US Army.
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Northrop Grumman has been authorised by the US Department of Defense to proceed with low-rate initial production (LRIP) of its Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS).
This follows Northrop Grumman’s work alongside the US Army’s Integrated Fires Mission Command Program Office in the system engineering, design, development and testing of IBCS hardware and software.
Over the past five years, the program has executed seven successful flight tests conducted under complex and operationally realistic conditions.
This included a Limited User Test, which involved testing of an operational Air and Missile Defense Battalion Task Force, which featured two operational flight tests, culminating in successful intercepts of complex, threat representative cruise and ballistic missile targets.
IBCS has also undergone hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL), environmental, live fire, and developmental testing and has participated in a number of Joint and US Army exercises.
“The decision by our senior leaders to transition IBCS from development into initial production reflects their confidence in the maturity of the system and its readiness for operational testing to inform initial operational capability,” Major General Rob Rasch, Army Program Executive Officer, Missiles and Space, said.
“The soldiers of the 3-43 Air Defense Artillery Battalion performed tremendously in training and testing over the last year, and are poised to demonstrate the game-changing capabilities of IBCS next Fall during the initial operational test and evaluation.”
Northrop Grumman’s vice president and general manager, combat systems and mission readiness, Kenn Todorov, added, “We are proud to have contributed to this landmark achievement that will help our warfighters better address and defeat evolving threats.
“This milestone is a true testament to the commitment and dedication of all the men and women who have worked tirelessly over many years to deliver a truly revolutionary system.”
About the IBCS
IBCS is designed to connect the force for unified action across all domains against evolving threats.
The software-defined, network-enabled command and control system integrates and optimises any-sensor, best-effector towards enabling Joint Multi-domain Operations and command and control.
IBCS, which is built on a modular and open systems approach network, employs a net-centric integrated fire control network, which aims to enables the acquisition, identification and engagement of air and missile threats.
According to Northrop, IBCS enhances battlefield survivability by creating a resilient self-healing network, which can reduce and eliminate vectors of attack while providing commanders and operators with a single integrated air picture of unprecedented breadth, range and accuracy.
[Related: Northrop wins Joint STARS modification contract]
Charbel Kadib
News Editor – Defence and Security, Momentum Media
Prior to joining the defence and aerospace team in 2020, Charbel was news editor of The Adviser and Mortgage Business, where he covered developments in the banking and financial services sector for three years. Charbel has a keen interest in geopolitics and international relations, graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a double major in politics and journalism. Charbel has also completed internships with The Australian Department of Communications and the Arts and public relations agency Fifty Acres.
