Northrop Grumman [NOC] and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
signed a teaming agreement to collaborate on creating a networking solution for Japan’s ground-based integrated air and missile defense systems, the companies said on Jan. 16.
In the announcement, the companies said they will “combine their respective technologies to develop a networking solution integrating Japan’s air and missile defense capabilities to share target information across various defense systems.”
Specifically, they said the aim is to help provide Japan “better situation awareness, increased interoperability and effective resource management.”
Northrop Grumman did not disclose what specific programs may be useful for the effort, but a company spokesperson told Defense Daily that it is “leveraging our expertise in the development of integrated air and missile defense command and control capabilities”
Notably, the company told Defense Daily that “his offering will be available to multiple customers interested in upgrading legacy systems and integrating sensors and effectors from all domains.”
This may be an allusion to Northrop Grumman’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS).
Last year, Reynolds said Japan had discussions with the company on IBCS (Defense Daily, March 28, 2023).
IBCS is the U.S. Army’s future missile defense command platform, which is meant to integrate and connect all of the service’s sensor to shooter capabilities, meaning it seeks to connect the best sensor to the best shooter in defense operations. The first unit is set to be fielded by the end of this fiscal year.
This agreement was signed during a visit by Masahiko Arai, corporate executive group senior vice president for defense and space systems, at Mitsubishi Electric Corporation to Northrop Grumman’s Huntsville, Ala. Manufacturing Center. Ian Reynolds, Northrop Grumman vice president for the C4 missile defense business unit, signed the agreement with Arai.
Rebecca Torzone, vice president and general manager for combat systems and mission readiness at Northrop Grumman, noted Japan is focusing investments in “operationally resilient systems” and looking to network systems for fire control.
“Today’s agreement with Mitsubishi Electric signifies a renewed collaborative relationship combining Northrop Grumman’s proven integrated air and missile defense capabilities with Japanese defense expertise to accelerate innovation, in alignment with [the Japan’s Ministry of Defense’s] priorities,” Torzone said.
Poland is the first international IBCS customer, having first agreed to a $4.75 billion deal with the U.S. in early 2018 to purchase the Patriot missile defense system and IBCS to support the first phase of the Polish WISLA air and missile defense modernization program (Defense Daily, March 28, 2018).