Northrop Grumman's Upgraded Battle Manager Successfully Directs Missile Defense Interceptor in Flight Test
January 29 2016 - 12:01AM
Company adds innovation to improve threat discrimination,
cybersecurity and performance while reducing footprint and
lifecycle cost
Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) enhanced battle
management capabilities successfully performed in the Jan. 28
flight test of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system. As
the strategic partner of The Boeing Company for the GMD program,
Northrop Grumman is responsible for the critical fire control
system that coordinates sensor information and orchestrates GMD
elements for target engagement.
"Our system determines which threat to engage, builds the threat
picture, allocates resources and provides and updates the
information guiding the kill vehicle," said Dan Verwiel, vice
president and general manager, missile defense and protective
systems division, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. "Today's test
demonstrates our team's commitment to continuously improve this
vital capability for protecting the United States."
Conducted by the Missile Defense Agency and the Boeing-Northrop
Grumman team, the GMD flight test focused on collecting critical
data to validate several component design improvements. The test
included a ground-based interceptor launching from Vandenberg Air
Force Base, California, against an air-launched threat released
from a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport aircraft. The test objective
precluded an intercept, in order to collect engineering data that's
not possible in an intercept test.
Northrop Grumman's GMD fire control system integrated data from
several sensors to identify and track the target, and calculate and
present the engagement solution. The company's in-flight
interceptor communications system provided target updates to the
kill vehicle. In addition, Northrop Grumman's command launch
equipment effectively launched the interceptor.
"Over the past three years, we've made major hardware and
software changes to the GMD fire control system resulting in
important benefits ranging from significantly reducing hardware
footprint to increasing system effectiveness and affordability,"
said Mark Thornton, GMD deputy program manager for the
Boeing-Northrop Grumman team.
Northrop Grumman's modernization efforts on the GMD fire control
system included an ability to utilize new discrimination data,
fusing to select the lethal object from the threat complex. The
system tasks radars more efficiently and constructs much improved
data to the in-flight interceptor. Newer operating systems,
interfaces, processors and data storage boosted computing power,
security and reliability. GMD fire control system hardware changes
decreased its volume to one-tenth and weight to one-twentieth of
the previous components and lowered lifecycle maintenance
costs.
Northrop Grumman designs and deploys the fire control capability
for GMD, which includes the fire control system, in-flight
interceptor communications system data terminal, communications
network equipment and system managers, and command launch
equipment. The company also performs a significant role in GMD
systems engineering, missile silo refurbishment and operations and
sustainment of the deployed system. All are under contract to
Boeing, the GMD prime contractor.
Northrop Grumman supported the test through its prime contractor
role at the Missile Defense Integration and Operations Center
(MDIOC) and participation in the Lockheed Martin-led Missile
Defense National Team providing test execution in the Command and
Control Battle Management and Communication (C2BMC) system. Company
personnel at the MDIOC provided engineering, flight test execution,
and communications expertise that helped the Mission Control Center
Facility and the C2BMC System Test Operational Center monitor and
assess the progress and success of the GMD flight test.
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.
CONTACT: Sudi Bruni
858-592-3407
sudi.bruni@ngc.com
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