Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman’s IAMD

Army Awards Northrop Grumman for Air and Missile Defense System

Oct. 10, 2018
Northrop Grumman has received a $289 million contract from the U.S Army for its IAPB Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS).

The U.S. Army has awarded Northrop Grumman Corp. a $289-million contract to continue system design and development toward fielding of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS). As part of the contract, Northrop Grumman will upgrade IBCS engagement operations centers and integrated fire-control network relays to enhance performance, reliability, and maintainability.

The company will also develop and deliver version 4.5 of the IBCS software to integrate Patriot system updates and incorporate updates for evolving threats. The contract includes Northrop Grumman’s providing logistics, training, and support for system testing, including a flight testing planned for late 2019.

“IBCS creates a paradigm shift for IAMD, and we have proven many transformational capabilities that will be game-changers on the battlefield,” said Dan Verwiel, vice president and general manager of Missile Defense and Protective Systems for Northrop Grumman. “IBCS maximizes the combat potential of sensors and weapons while allowing future modernization at lower overall lifecycle costs.

“From integrating weapons developed decades ago with capabilities still in development, to rapidly adding protection against emerging threats and enabling seamless multi-domain operations, through logistics, training and lifecycle support, IBCS is solving some of the most difficult defense challenges confronting our nation and allies today,” he continued. “We are honored to continue working shoulder-to-shoulder with the Army to get next-generation IAMD to the warfighter.”

IBCS is part of the Army’s IAMD modernization program. It features proven capability to integrate radars and weapons over wide areas while maintaining voice and data connectivity. By proving disparate radars and weapons can operate as nodes in a far-more-effective IAMD enterprise, IBCS offers the advantages of expanded sensor and effector combinations and a component-based acquisition approach.

IBCS contributes to a Link 16 network with Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Army participants to counter electronic attacks. program is managed by the Army Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.

About the Author

Jack Browne | Technical Contributor

Jack Browne, Technical Contributor, has worked in technical publishing for over 30 years. He managed the content and production of three technical journals while at the American Institute of Physics, including Medical Physics and the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology. He has been a Publisher and Editor for Penton Media, started the firm’s Wireless Symposium & Exhibition trade show in 1993, and currently serves as Technical Contributor for that company's Microwaves & RF magazine. Browne, who holds a BS in Mathematics from City College of New York and BA degrees in English and Philosophy from Fordham University, is a member of the IEEE.

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