DSEI 2021 – Leonardo and Northrop Grumman Corporation have announced their intention to jointly pursue opportunities in the Vertical Take-Off and Landing Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) domain.
According to a statement:
“Drawing on Leonardo’s expertise in rotorcraft and Northrop Grumman’s capabilities in advanced aeronautics and next generation autonomous uncrewed aerial systems, the companies will focus on jointly addressing global opportunities in the VTOL UAS market. The companies will consider collaboration on air vehicle design, system architectures, payload optimisation and integration within next generation battlespace architectures, with a focus on customer requirements and mission-based Concepts of Operations.
The agreement is the latest development in a successful long-term partnership between Northrop Grumman and Leonardo. The companies work closely together on airborne platform protection. This collaboration goes back to 1995 when the team jointly developed the AN/AAQ-24(V) Nemesis DIRCM for the US Department of Defense and UK Ministry of Defence. Today the companies are working to deliver the United States Army’s Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM) programme, which will protect hundreds of aircraft.”
Northrop Grumman Australia and Leonardo Australia have already teamed to compete to provide a Maritime Uncrewed Aerial System to the Royal Australian Navy under the SEA129 Phase 5 programme, using the Leonardo AWHero and elements of Northrop Grumman’s advanced battlespace architecture system as the basis of a next generation deployable intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting capability.
Gian Piero Cutillo, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters, said in a news release:
“We see this partnership as a great opportunity to leverage the synergies between Leonardo and Northrop Grumman in the sphere of VTOL and UAS technologies. This collaboration comes at a time when we see emerging military and civil requirements worldwide in the uncrewed domain. This partnership will enable a strong and concerted approach to existing, as well as next-generation VTOL UAS technologies from two leading global aerospace engineering companies.”
Nick Chaffey, Chief Executive, UK, Europe, Middle East, Northrop Grumman said:
“Northrop Grumman has decades of experience and unmatched expertise in developing and delivering uncrewed and autonomous aerial systems including the RQ-4 Global Hawk, MQ-8C Fire Scout, Firebird, a UAS that has the capability to be flown manned, and the pioneering X-47B aircraft. There are many possibilities that our collaboration with Leonardo will deliver for customers worldwide as they look to solve new challenges in a complex, unpredictable threat environment.”
A little more info on the Hero:
https://www.leonardocompany.com/en/products/awhero
The video is well worth watching
Nice video. Cheers. Good recon asset
Another hint as to why it might be sensible to go with Leonardo for our medium lift helicopter replacement program. There is going to be a massive business in this type of air vehicle and even if we may not be integral to their design (or may need to (re)build that capacity in the future) we certainly need to at least as and when we order these type of vehicles have the ability to build and maintain them here and integrate our systems as and when required. Even have a capacity to have design influence from the outset.
Leonardo, just shot themselves in the foot apply pressure to the GOV on a contract not yet drawn.
Lack of understanding on MOD procurement doesn’t involve trying to blackmail the govt.
do we need a Millionaire’s taxi or a Miltary medium-lift ….