Northrop Redelivers B-2 With Modernized Radar
By Elyse Moody
The first B-2 Spirit stealth bomber equipped with a modernized radar rejoined the U.S. Air Force operational fleet at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., following upgrades by B-2 prime contractor Northrop Grumman.
Northrop Grumman redelivered the aircraft on March 17 following installation of new radar hardware, which Raytheon Space & Airborne Systems developed under contract to the OEM. The units feature new advanced electronically scanned array antenna, a power supply and a modified receiver/exciter, according to Northrop.
The Air Force plans to equip several operational B-2 aircraft with the new radar as part of the system development and demonstration phase of its B-2 radar modernization program (RMP). It will carry out more field tests with these aircraft to gather data in support of future fielding decisions. Northrop could not release details regarding the number of aircraft involved in the field test program, or when it expects to redeliver the remaining aircraft.
Northrop Grumman last December received a $468 million contract to begin the production phase of RMP. The award also included low rate and full rate production phases, as well as installation of the radar on B-2s not involved in the development and demonstration aspects of the program.
