21 May 2020: Digitalisation in defence will be the future of combat on battlefields in years to come. Northrop Grumman is helping shift the rotary wing fleet in US department of defence from analog to digital. One of the most recent examples of digital transformations is the Future Vertical Lift (FVL). It includes the future attack reconnaissance aircraft (FARA) and the future long-range assault aircraft (FLRAA) for the Army, as well as the attack utility replacement aircraft (AURA) for the Marine Corps. All its systems are connected by digital backbone making it more faster, more lethal and more survivable aircraft in the battlefield.
It is one of the most sophisticated rotorcraft to enter military service be it transport, logistics, strike or reconnaissance duties. They are a combat multiplier as well as a lifeline in austere environments.
James Conroy, vice president, navigation, targeting and survivability, Northrop Grumman said, "Just as a mobile phone relies on an operating system to connect apps and sensors, this digital backbone will allow the next generation of avionics and self-protection systems to work in a unified way."
With future generations of FVL aircraft planned to operate alongside the enduring fleet of Apaches, Black Hawks and Chinooks, ensuring interoperability and commonality within Army Aviation will also be a top priority. Investments in FVL must enable the enduring fleet to be capable of multi-domain operations concurrently.
"Some of the aircrew who will fly on these aircraft have not even been born yet. That's how far into the future we need to think," said Conroy. "The way we will keep these aircraft relevant into the 2060s and beyond is open architecture."
"Our architecture is a flying prototype of what FVL can be," said Conroy. "These are the capabilities that will enable FVL and the enduring fleet to become the connected and interoperable fleet the Army envisions."
Northrop Grumman is delivering mission computers to US Marie Corps for the AH-1Z and UH-1Y helicopters over two decades now. Lately they are also digitalising the cockpit of UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter. The digitised upgraded version is UH-60V. It is a clean sheet model-based system engineering operating environment designed to support the most advanced platforms and their missions.