Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program
Encyclopedia
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...
to develop the next generation of airborne air-to-air and air-to-ground radar systems. While initially planned for multiple platforms, the MP-RTIP is currently intended only for the RQ-4B Global Hawk
RQ-4 Global Hawk
The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is an unmanned aerial vehicle used by the United States Air Force and Navy as a surveillance aircraft....
UAV
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
.
Overview
The MP-RTIP is a "modular, active electronically scanned array radar system" designed to be scaled in size in order to fit on board different platforms. The system is being developed from earlier Northrop-Grumman radar systems, including the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar SystemE-8 Joint STARS
The Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System is a battle management and command and control aircraft of the United States Air Force...
(JointSTARS) and the existing Global Hawk system. The next-generation system will improve the Air Force's ability to track slow-moving ground vehicles and low-flying cruise missiles. The primary improvements are a dramatic increase in resolution and an ability "to collect ground moving target indicator imagery and synthetic aperture radar still images simultaneously".
The Global Hawk, which currently is an air-to-ground radar platform, was originally due to receive air-to-air capability through the MP-RTIP. That capability was subsequently removed from the test program's budget, however, in a reversal, funding for an air-to-air capability is being restored.
Development
Phase I of the development program began in December, 2000. The three-year program was undertaken by Northrop Grumman at a contract cost of $410 million, and focused on the basic design of the radar system. Phase II is a six-year, $888 million contract awarded by the Air Force's Electronic Systems CenterElectronic Systems Center
Electronic Systems Center is a product center of Air Force Materiel Command headquartered at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. Its mission is to develop and acquire command and control, communications, computer, and intelligence systems. ESC consists of professional teams specializing in...
in May, 2004, under which the radar system is being developed, tested and integrated. Raytheon's
Raytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
Space and Airborne Systems
Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems
Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems is a major business segment of Raytheon. Headquartered in El Segundo, California, SAS has a total employment of 12,000 and 2010 sales of US$ 4.8 billion. Rick Yuse is the segment's President...
is a subcontractor on the program, tasked with hardware development. Phase II calls for the production of six systems, three for Global Hawk and three for the E-10.
The Global Hawk's system is the first to be flight tested, a program for which Northrop Grumman is using its Proteus
Scaled Composites Proteus
The Scaled Composites Model 281 Proteus is a tandem-wing high-endurance aircraft designed by Burt Rutan to investigate the use of aircraft as high altitude telecommunications relays. The Proteus is actually a multi-mission vehicle, able to carry various payloads on a ventral pylon...
aircraft (built by Scaled Composites
Scaled Composites
Scaled Composites is an aerospace company founded by Burt Rutan and currently owned by Northrop Grumman that is located at the Mojave Spaceport, Mojave, California, United States...
). The MP-RTIP is mounted in a large pod fitted under Proteus. The program, jointly conducted by Northrop-Grumman and the Air Force's 851st Electronic Systems Group, is being operated from the Mojave Spaceport
Mojave Spaceport
thumb|right|235px|A retired [[Boeing 767-200]] that flew for [[Ansett Australia]] being cut open for scrap at Mojave AirportThe Mojave Air and Space Port , also known as the Civilian Aerospace Test Center, is located in Mojave, California, at an elevation of...
.
Eventually, the entire program is expected to cost $2 billion. With the E-10's development program being scaled back, five E-8 JointSTARS aircraft are expected to be retrofitted with the MP-RTIP.