PALMDALE, Calif., July 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Northrop
Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) demonstrated in recent test flights
that the U.S. Air Force's Open Mission Systems (OMS) architecture
standards can be successfully integrated across multiple systems
and platforms. These flights have paved the way for new
capabilities to be integrated rapidly and affordably across
advanced manned and unmanned aircraft.
In June, at Edwards Air Force Base, multiple test flights
demonstrated the ability to rapidly integrate subsystems onto the
B-2 Spirit stealth bomber and NASA's Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft
System (UAS) using OMS-compliant computing architecture. The most
recent demonstration included the B-2 Spirit, the company's fully
OMS-compliant Gulfstream G550 test bed aircraft configured as an
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) asset, and an
OMS-compliant battle management command and control (BMC2) ground
node.
"This demonstration paves the way for the B-2 weapon system to
provide new operational capability well into the future at an
affordable cost," said Brig. Gen. Eric
Fick, Program Executive Officer for Fighters and Bombers,
Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Materiel
Command.
In the latest test scenario, the G550 ISR aircraft detected a
new ground threat and broadcast the threat's location across an
OMS-compliant line-of-sight (LOS) Link-16 data link. The BMC2 node
received the threat information via this link and assigned a nearby
B-2 to engage the target. The B-2 then used its onboard
OMS-compliant auto-routing function to replan its mission to
prosecute and destroy the target in a simulated attack.
"The team's ability to rapidly demonstrate OMS has been nothing
short of amazing and shows the speed at which capabilities can be
developed when the Air Force and industry partner together," said
Col. Rob Strasser, U.S. Air Force
B-2 System Program Manager. "The collaboration and innovation
required by the team to rapidly plan, integrate and demonstrate OMS
on the B-2 has illustrated the ability to reduce cost while
significantly increasing mission effectiveness."
Northrop Grumman demonstrated how OMS-compliant architectures
are feasible on legacy platforms and can enable the rapid
integration of new mission capabilities, such as an onboard mission
planning auto-router.
"Northrop Grumman is committed to OMS and modular open
architectures," said Tom Vice,
corporate vice president and president, Northrop Grumman Aerospace
Systems. "OMS provides us the ability to rapidly incorporate new
innovative, affordable and adaptable capability into our products.
Our recent OMS demonstrations on the Global Hawk UAS and the B-2
long-range strike bomber have proved to be very successful."
Developed through industry collaboration, OMS architectures use
a common message interface for subsystems such as radar and
communication systems, and services such as auto-routing and battle
management. This standardized approach allows OMS-compliant mission
systems and services to be reused across multiple aircraft.
It also simplifies the development process for new mission
capabilities, significantly shortens integration time with the
platform and enables affordable insertion of new capabilities.
The entire OMS infrastructure for the B-2 was defined and
integrated by Northrop Grumman in approximately six weeks. It took
advantage of company capabilities and products at several locations
across the country. Northrop Grumman funded the OMS development and
integration, while the test activities were supported by both the
company and the Air Force B-2 System Program Office.
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