Lockheed Martin
has received $23m from Northrop Grumman to support the upgrade of satellite communication (SATCOM) systems used by US Air Force B-2 stealth bomber.
As part of the program’s system development and demonstration phase, Lockheed Martin will replace the B-2's current flight management computers with a new subsystem.
According to a statement, Lockheed Martin’s subsystem combines legacy B-2 avionics functions with additional processing capabilities to support the aircraft’s Extremely High Frequency (EHF) SATCOM system.
The EHF SATCOM provides the bomber’s aircrew with a beyond-line-of-sight, assured-connectivity capability that ensures the B-2 is compatible with current and future EHF communication satellite architectures.
This SATCOM upgrade program will also allow the B-2 to connect to the US Department of Defense's Global Information Grid (GIG), a worldwide network of information systems, processes and personnel involved in collecting, storing, managing and disseminating information on demand to the military, policy makers and military support personnel.
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