Northrop Grumman expects to enter production in 2010 with its Banshee electronic warfare architecture for the B-52 bomber, following successful flight demonstrations concluded in June, Kevin Weppner, Northrop’s director of business development for RF combat and information systems, told reporters Sept. 14 at AFA’s Air & Space Conference. “EW systems today need to be flexible, highly integrated and interoperable with other systems such as Link 16 and other sensors,” noted Weppner. He said the Banshee is lightweight, mission scalable, uses common, reusable components, and features low cost, high-performance microwave converters and digital receivers. “Because the B-52s are going to be in service for a long time, we think we’ll update and modernize every one of those 76 bombers.” Weppner said. Northrop expects the architecture to eventually be extended to other legacy aircraft such as the F-15, F-16, and A-10.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited the site of U.S. Space Command’s future home Dec. 12 and endorsed the move to establish the headquarters in Alabama after years of political back and forth.
