Air Force and Northrop Grumman officials are winding up tests to determine whether production treatments would effectively protect the vehicle from electromagnetic interference. Testing has been taking place in the Benefield Anechoic Facility at Edwards AFB, Calif. The nose of the vehicle houses a high power satellite communication transmitter and extremely sensitive signals intelligence receiver processor systems in close proximity, creating the potential for interference. Company officials say the Edwards facility eliminates the need to conduct extensive flight-testing to verify EMI performance.
House, Senate Unveil Competing Proposals for 2026 Budget
July 11, 2025
Lawmakers from the House and Senate laid out competing versions of the annual defense policy bill on July 11, with vastly different potential outcomes for some of the Air Force’s most embattled programs.