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Phased array AWACS Brassboard radar system flight tested
The first generation airborne surveillance radar array was the Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) Brassboard radar antenna system. This antenna employed passive phased shifters on each of 28 sticks of the antenna, which were used to electronically scan the antenna to obtain height measurement and stabilize the beam to compensate for aircraft roll and pitch. -
First development stages of EAR
The EAR program was the development test bed for the
future APQ-164 B-1B radar system. The system was the
first ever, passive element phased array with a beam
steering controller and a real time processor that allowed
simultaneous Scanning Aperture Radar (SAR)
and Terrain Following (TF) imagery. The system was
first flown on a B-52 in 1977. The HELRATS -
Full Scale Development of AWACS
The AN/APY-1/-2 Surveillance Radar System provides the down look surveillance capability for the E-3 AWACS. AWACS is designed to detect and track both enemy and friendly aircraft throughout a large volume of airspace. The radar provides full, long-range surveillance of high or low flying aircraft during all kinds of weather and above all kinds of terrain. The AN/APY-1/-2 can look down from an altitude of 30,000 feet and scan ranges exceeding 245 miles (400 kilometers). -
First AWACS production delivery
Mounted atop a Boeing 707 in a rotating dome that revolves through 360 degrees every 10 seconds, the Northrop Grumman radar was confirmed as the superior design in a series of competitive flights in 1972. The first production system was delivered in 1977. This system is now in service with a number of nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). -
Development of JSTARS radar system
The Joint STARS radar detects fixed and moving targets over large ground areas utilizing advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and sophisticated interferometer techniques. While many radar systems can provide high resolution SAR, the Joint STARS radar provides both high resolution SAR and Moving Target Indication (MTI) at ranges out to the radar horizon. -
First active aperture - Ultra Reliable Radar
1985 saw the debut of the Ultra Reliable Radar, our first generation active aperture. This breakthrough in technology allowed for the demonstration of the concept of steering beams generated by distributed transmit and receive modules. -
Second generation AESA first flight
This 2nd generation AESA was also the first AESA to proceed to the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase. -
First AESA to proceed to E&MD
Our 3rd generation AESA met the high performance requirements in clutter, which mechanical or passive electronically scanned arrays are unable to meet. It was the first AESA to proceed to Engineering and Manufacturing Development. -
TESAR first deployment in Bosnia
TESAR flew more than 40 flights and over 200 hours
in direct support of Operation Joint Endeavor. Not one
flight was cancelled due to TESAR failure. -
APG-77 radar for the F-22 range tested
Just two years after our 3rd generation AESA proceeded to E&MD, we range tested our 4th generation radar, the APG-77 for the F-22 Raptor. -
Launched 4th Generation AESA
Our 4th generation AESA is half the cost and weight of the 3rd generation AESA. The 4th generation AESA design requirements were the result of merging requirements for airborne,
sea based, and land based platforms. -
First Full Scale MESA Radar/IFF Antenna
The MESA radar provides air-to-air coverage, air-to-surface coverage, integrated identification friend or foe, special track beams and focused sector operation. The flexibility of the MESA radar enables an operator to use it in virtually unlimited combinations of surveillance and tracking. -
First Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Radars deliveries
The TUAVR wasderived from the proven 165 lb. Northrop Grumman AN/ZPQ-1 tactical endurance synthetic aperture radar (TESAR), which was in production as the day/night, all-weather sensor for the U.S. Air Force's Predator UAV. TESAR provides continuous imagery for the Predator's 40-hour mission over all terrain types and in adverse weather. TESAR was first deployed in a peacekeeping mission in Bosnia in 1996. -
MP-RTIP for Global Hawk begins flight testing
The Global Hawk version of the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) sensor was tested in its moving target indicator (MTI) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) modes on board the Proteus testbed aircraft. The Global Hawk system features an unmanned air vehicle that flies at altitudes over 60,000 feet, above inclement weather. -
U.S. Army selects STARLite for its ER/MP UAV
Weighing just 65 pounds, the AN/ZPY-1 STARLite compact SAR/GMTI/DMTI radar system is ideal for equipping a variety of manned and unmanned aerial system platforms for mission-critical tactical reconnaissance. The system is capable of conducting all-weather, wide area surveillance and detecting stationary, dismounted and moving targets. Learn about STARLite -
Flight testing of VADER begins
VADER is a radar sensor being developed by Northrop Grumman for use with the Sky Warrior unmanned aircraft system (UAS) developed for the U.S. Army's Extended Range/Multi-Purpose UAS Program by General Atomics Aeronauticals Systems, Inc. When deployed, VADER will allow accurate Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) data and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery to be readily available to ground commanders in real time. -
First demonstration of Ground Based Fighter Radar (GBFR)
The objective of GBFR was to package a proven airborne radar into a compact, lightweight ground configuration operating on a single HMMWV. In this configuration, the radar provides 360-degree coverage while the vehicle is moving. The radar employs an adaptation of active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology from airborne platforms as a basis for its operation. GBFR's compact, lightweight configuration makes it easily deployable from a variety of expeditionary platforms. -
G/ATOR prototype array undergoes successful AESA testing
The antenna tests successfully demonstrated key radar building blocks for the G/ATOR system including transmit and receive functionality, hardware and software communications, array tuning and calibration techniques. G/ATOR is a highly mobile multi-mission radar that will replace and enhance the functionalities of five of the six current U.S. Marine Corps ground-based radars, providing significant increases in operational capabilities as well as large reductions in operations and maintenance cos -
Live outdoor testing of the S-band radar testbed
Northrop Grumman's S-band radar is being developed to provide the U.S. Navy with significantly enhanced capabilities to detect, track and engage ballistic missiles while simultaneously performing anti-air warfare in high clutter environments. Such a capability is critical to meeting the Navy's increased requirements to provide integrated air and missile defense for both the United States and its allies.k -
First complete G/ATOR radar system
G/ATOR's subsystems include the Radar Equipment Group (REG), the Communications Equipment Group (CEG) and the Power Equipment Group (PEG). The heart of the AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR system, the REG consists of the advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) antenna and all associated control and processing electronics mounted on a lightweight tactical trailer. -
Global Hawk completes first full system flight with MP-RTIP
The RQ-4B Block 40 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS) completed its first full system flight with the high performance AN/ZPY-2, also referred to as the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) sensor. -
HAMMR demonstrates on-the-move capability
HAMMR is a derivative of the GBFR program. The heart of the HAMMR system, the AESA, is composed of more than a thousand programmable transmit/receive modules that enable HAMMR to successfully detect, track and engage numerous target types, at multiple positions, and in varying paths and trajectories. The flexibility of HAMMR's AESA architecture enables growth to address new threats without redesigning the system, a major benefit compared to existing radar systems. -
AN/ZPY-1 STARLite radar deploys on PTDS aerostat
STARLite deployed on a U.S. Army Persistent Threat Detection System (PTDS), an aerostat surveillance platform uniquely positioned to aid in the defense of ground troops. Currently in limited-rate production, Northrop Grumman's STARLite is a small, lightweight, fully qualified synthetic aperture radar/moving target indicator (SAR/MTI) sensor system used for supporting tactical operations. -
AMDR system reviews take place
The company conducted System Functional Review (SFR) in late December and Test Readiness Review (TRR) several weeks later. SFR is a multi-disciplined technical review conducted to ensure that the system under review is technically mature enough to proceed into preliminary design. TRR assesses the readiness of the system for testing configuration items. AMDR is a next-generation radar system planned for the Navy's DDG-51 Flight III.
