According to Northrop Grumman, the company’s recent completion of installation, integration, and initial flight testing of the developmental test units for the B-2’s new radar antenna will let the Northrop-led team “complete the comprehensive [radar modernization program] interrupted last year by integration issues.” The Air Force had alerted Congress earlier this year to “technical maturity” problems with the new antenna. Now, Northrop B-2 program manager Dave Mazur says installation of the test units “is a major milestone” that “demonstrates not only the technical maturity of the highly complex radar itself, but also the ability of the B-2 industry team to identify and resolve technical issues in a positive, collaborative manner.” The Air Force urgently wants the new antenna to solve the B-2’s spectrum problem.
Since President Donald Trump first unveiled his “Golden Dome” missile defense initiative in late January, much of the focus for it has been focused on space—how the Pentagon may deploy dozens, if not hundreds, of sensors and interceptors into orbit to protect the continental U.S. from missile barrages. But the Air…