The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency’s (DARPA) Tactical Technology Office (TTO) has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation a contract to develop an advanced technology weapon concept.
The effort would increase the engagement range and weapon effectiveness of domestic forces against adversary air threats via the Advanced Air-to-Air Missile Engagement Concept.
Additionally, DARPA’s LongShot program would explore new lethal engagement concepts, leveraging multi-modal propulsion, weapon systems operationally deployed from existing fighters or bombers.
“Our collaboration with DARPA is the critical first step in the development of innovative operational concepts and solutions that will enhance our warfighter’s combat capability against a rapidly growing threat,” said Jaime Engdahl, program director, kinetic weapons and emerging capabilities, Northrop Grumman, said. “The LongShot program enables us to combine our digital engineering skillset with our extensive knowledge in advanced technology weapons, autonomous systems, and strike platforms to increase weapon range and effectiveness.”
In conjunction with the LongShot program, Northrop Grumman will combine expertise in weapon system design, survivability, autonomy, advanced mission systems, and rapid prototyping to deliver advanced solutions aiding the effort to maintain a competitive military advantage in contested environments.
DARPA seeks to utilize high pay-off opportunities to provide new system capabilities instead of incremental or evolutionary advancements, to achieve undeterrable air presence at dramatically reduced costs.