WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE,
N.M., May 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/
-- The U.S. Army and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC)
took a significant step toward the objective for integrated air and
missile defense (IAMD) when a ballistic missile was destroyed using
the IAMD Battle Command System (IBCS) in its first flight test.
"Working together with the Army, we will deliver with IBCS a
fully netted system providing a single, unambiguous view to enable
any-sensor, best-shooter capability," said Dan Verwiel, vice president and general manager,
integrated air and missile defense division, Northrop Grumman
Information Systems. "Today's successful intercept test
demonstrated the power of the IBCS to conduct net-centric
engagements with componentized sensors and launchers."
The flight test began this morning when a ballistic missile
serving as a threat surrogate flew against a defended asset. The
defense consisted of battery and battalion IBCS engagement
operations centers, a Patriot radar and two adapted Patriot
launchers connected at the component level to the IBCS integrated
fire control network. Using measurement data from the Patriot
radar, the IBCS track manager established a composite track on the
ballistic missile. The IBCS mission control software assessed the
track as a threat and presented an engagement solution. The
engagement operations center operator then commanded, via the IBCS
mission control software, launches of two Patriot PAC-2 interceptor
missiles to destroy the target.
Army Air Defense Artillery School Commandant and Air Defense
Artillery Chief Brig. Gen. Christopher L.
Spillman said, "The enormous complexity of the air battle we
face today and tomorrow demands we give commanders much greater
flexibility to organize sensors and shooters. IBCS is the
centerpiece of how we achieve that and a revolutionized IAMD."
"IBCS is crucial to the Army vision for an IAMD C2 capability
across all echelons and AMD assets, including joint systems," said
Brig. Gen. (P) L. Neil Thurgood,
Army program executive officer, Missiles and Space. "The success of
IBCS allows our ability to acquire needed radars and interceptors
to plug into our architecture without having to buy entire systems
and to optimize the sensor/shooter relationship to the target.
Additionally, IBCS allows for a single AMD C2 that is tailorable at
every echelon and reduces the training burden while enhancing
mission success."
Foundational to IAMD transformation and key to the Army IAMD
portfolio, the IBCS is managed by the IAMD Project Office, Program
Executive Office for Missiles and Space, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.
Northrop Grumman has been the IBCS prime contractor since 2010
and has 300 program personnel located in Huntsville, Alabama; Dahlgren, Virginia; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Melbourne, Florida; Los Angeles and San
Diego. The company's IBCS development, integration and test
activities take place in multiple Huntsville laboratories and facilities. For
the flight test, several IBCS engagement operations centers and
integrated fire control network relays were deployed to White Sands
Missile Range. In addition, engagement operations centers and
relays were utilized in Andover,
Massachusetts, for flight test analysis.
IBCS replaces seven legacy command-and-control (C2) systems to
provide a single integrated air picture, reduce single points of
failure and offer the flexibility for deployment of smaller force
packages. By networking sensors and interceptors – as opposed to
simply linking them – IBCS provides wider area surveillance and
broader protection areas. With its truly open systems architecture,
IBCS enables integration of current and future sensors and weapon
systems and interoperability with joint C2 and the ballistic
missile defense system.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing
innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems,
cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and
commercial customers worldwide. Please visit
www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
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SOURCE Northrop Grumman Corporation