UK Air

Elevating Aerial Excellence with Advanced Air Capabilities

Exploring the Future of Defence

Northrop Grumman provides advanced air capabilities that ensure air dominance in an evolving threat environment. In the UK, our portfolio includes survivability systems such as LAIRCM and DAIRCM, cutting-edge technologies that protect aircrews from emerging missile threats.

We play a key role in combat air through our contributions to the F-35 programme and support the development of next-generation uncrewed combat air systems. Our Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar delivers unmatched airborne surveillance and command capabilities, while the Joint Threat Emitter enhances training realism for aircrews.

With advanced weaponry and integrated mission solutions, we are delivering decisive advantage to allied air forces around the world.

LAIRCM and DAIRCM

Traditional IR countermeasures are not effective against modern IR missiles and the threat is becoming more advanced and widespread. A Directional Infrared Countermeasures (DIRCM) system is required to defeat the latest and future advanced IR threats, and has a lower life cycle cost compared to other IR countermeasure approaches.

Our systems, fielded on RAF aircraft, can simultaneously track and defeat threats in harsh environments. Providing fast, accurate threat detection and simultaneous jamming Northrop Grumman systems counter all fielded IR missile threats.

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Combat Air

Northrop Grumman is a principal partner and teammate on the F-35 Lightning II industry team. The F-35 is a low observable Fifth Generation aircraft, operated by RAF and RN aircrew and maintenance personnel, capable of launching and recovering to the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. Northrop Grumman performs a significant share of the work required to develop and produce the aircraft.

Northrop Grumman produces the aircraft's center fuselage, AN/APG-81 AESA radar and communications subsystems. Northrop Grumman also produces mission systems and mission-planning software and vehicle systems; leads the industry team's development of pilot and maintenance training system courseware; and manages the team's use, support and maintenance of low-observable technologies. Northrop Grumman subsidiary NG Italia also provide critical navigation systems to Eurofighter aircraft and to weapons programmes.

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MESA

The ability to accurately detect and identify targets at increasingly longer ranges is critical to maintaining an advantage. The MESA radar electronically scans the skies around the RAF’s E-7 aircraft, providing an unrestricted 360-degree view.

The powerful multifunction MESA sensor provides mission crews with the tools needed to track airborne and maritime targets while maintaining continuous surveillance of the operational area. The E-7 is critical to the RAF’s foundational role – to Control the Air.

Joint Threat Emitter

A capability is not limited to a piece of equipment. Air Forces need to train and to ensure that their personnel are at readiness to fight. Northrop Grumman’s Joint Threat Emitter (JTE) provides a modern, reactive battlespace environment, designed to help train military personnel to identify and effectively counter enemy missile or artillery threats.

The JTE, proven and in service, creates high density radiofrequency (RF) environments by transmitting RF signals that simulate the advanced threats that our aircrew will face on the battlefield. This accurately trains combat aircrews to defeat or avoid Integrated Air Defence Systems (IADS) around the world in a war-like training environment.

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Uncrewed Combat Air Systems

Northrop Grumman has a rich heritage of fielding advanced air systems including fixed wing, HALE and Rotary Wing uncrewed systems. This is exemplified by the X-47 which was used to demonstrate the first-ever carrier-based launches and recoveries by a relevant, low-observable, unmanned autonomous aircraft.

Digital Engineering Drives Down Costs

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Advanced Weaponry

Northrop Grumman has developed world leading advanced weaponry including the AGM-88G Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range (AARGM-ER). This weapon benefits from a pedigree born out of the highly successful, combat proven AGM-88 HARM family of weapons. The missile is being integrated on the Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler as well as the Coalition and Air Force F-35A, Marine Corps F-35B and Navy/Marine Corps F-35C.

Northrop Grumman has also developed key technologies such as the Precision Guidance Kit which replaces conventional fuses for artillery and mortar munitions, transforming them into Global Positioning System (GPS)- precision guided weapons. This can ensure near perfect accuracy while reducing the risk of collateral damage and greatly reducing logistics requirements. Precision Guidance Kit – Extended Range (PGK-ER) provides the accuracy and reliability of the original capability updated for the battlefield of the future.

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A Career with Purpose

Are you ready to Define Possible? From intelligence solutions to maritime command and control systems for the UK and NATO, what we do together matters.

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