Northrop Grumman Begins MP-RTIP Tests

Northrop Grumman received approval from the U.S. Air Force to begin a portion of the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) system verification flight testing.

The Radar System Level Performance Verification (RSLPV) flight-test program will take place over the next several weeks, with an Air Force report on its success due by the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2009.

The MP-RTIP sensor will be flown on Northrop Grumman's Proteus aircraft as a surrogate for the first RQ-4 Block 40 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system. Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor for the MP-RTIP and Global Hawk programs.

“This is a major milestone for the MP-RTIP program,” said Duke Dufresne, vice president and general manager, Northrop Grumman Strike & Surveillance Systems. “The RSLPV test program will verify that the radar meets operational requirements established by the Air Force including Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Spot image capabilities, SAR Swath imaging wide area capability, and Ground Moving Target Indicator capability to detect and track moving vehicles on the ground.”