The Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman a contract valued at $54.9 million to develop and flight test a signals intelligence sensor payload for USAF’s MQ-1 Predator that also will serve as “the foundation for the US Army’s Guardrail modernization signals intelligence upgrade,” said Imar Bitar, a Northrop VP in an April 22 release. “We see significant savings and risk reduction when common sensor capabilities are fielded on different operational platforms,” added Bitar. Northrop expects to develop and flight-test the Airborne Signals Intelligence Payload 1C, which will be a “scaled, modular derivative of the ASIP sensor” developed for the U-2 manned reconnaissance aircraft and Global Hawk UAV, by May 2009, moving it to the field in 2010. The company would then produce a preliminary design for an “expanded ASIP-2C version” for used with the larger brother of the Predator, USAF’s MQ-9 Reaper.
Dick Cheney’s Legacy with the Air Force
Nov. 6, 2025
Dick Cheney, who died Nov. 3 at 84, is best remembered by most Americans as among the most powerful Vice Presidents in history, a consummate Washington insider who had previously served in the Nixon administration, was Chief of Staff for President Gerald Ford, a Congressman for a decade, and Secretary…
