New B-2 Radar Demonstrates Capabilities

Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force said they successfully demonstrated the new radar developed for the B-2 stealth bomber can fulfill the performance requirements for its required missions. The company said it recently passed the second of two Air Force audits of the B-2 Radar Modernization Program (RMP) known as verification compliance reviews. In February 2009, Northrop Grumman passed Verification Compliance Review (VCR)-1, which audited the company's testing of the B-2 radar's hardware and basic operational modes. VCR-2, which confirmed the company's results for the testing of the radar's strategic mission modes, was successfully completed in mid June. "The completion of VCR-2 means that we've successfully translated the Air Force requirements for this new radar into a system that meets the B-2's mission requirements," said Mike Galaway, director of Northrop Grumman's B-2 Radar Modernization Program. "Additional independent government testing remains to be done, but passing this milestone gives us the confidence that the new system will be suitable for the fleet." Raytheon Space & Airborne Systems, El Segundo, Calif., led the development of the new radar hardware under contract to Northrop Grumman.