The Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman a contract valued at $54.9 million to develop and flight test a signals intelligence sensor payload for USAF’s MQ-1 Predator that also will serve as “the foundation for the US Army’s Guardrail modernization signals intelligence upgrade,” said Imar Bitar, a Northrop VP in an April 22 release. “We see significant savings and risk reduction when common sensor capabilities are fielded on different operational platforms,” added Bitar. Northrop expects to develop and flight-test the Airborne Signals Intelligence Payload 1C, which will be a “scaled, modular derivative of the ASIP sensor” developed for the U-2 manned reconnaissance aircraft and Global Hawk UAV, by May 2009, moving it to the field in 2010. The company would then produce a preliminary design for an “expanded ASIP-2C version” for used with the larger brother of the Predator, USAF’s MQ-9 Reaper.
Airman Charged in M18 Shooting Death Found Dead
Oct. 27, 2025
The Airman arrested in connection with the M18 pistol discharge that killed a fellow member of Air Force security forces on July 20 in Wyoming was found dead earlier this month, an Air Force spokesperson confirmed.
