The nation’s fleet of B-2 spirit stealth bombers will all get a new Northrop Grumman Corporation-developed radar system following the U.S. Air Force’s decision to authorize full-rate production of the units by the company’s Radar Modernization Program (RMP).

The decision, made last Oct. 16 by the assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition (acting), allows Northrop Grumman to begin fabrication of the balance of radar units needed to outfit the entire fleet. Those units will be produced as the final installment of the $468 million RMP contract awarded to the company by the Air Force in Dec. 2008.

Northrop Grumman is the Air Force’s prime contractor for the B-2, the flagship of the nation’s long range arsenal, and one of the most survivable aircraft in the world. Northrop Grumman is currently producing radar units authorized under the RMP low rate initial production program, added Mazur. The company is also installing radar units in operational B-2s as part of the RMP system development and demonstration phase.

The B-2 radar modernization program replaces the aircraft’s original radar system with one that incorporates technology improvements that have occurred since the B-2 was originally designed in the early 1980s.

The B-2 is the only U.S. aircraft that combines stealth, long range, large payload and precision weapons in a single platform. In concert with the Air Force’s air superiorityfleet, which provides airspace control, and the Air Force’s tanker fleet , which enables global mobility, the B-2 helps ensure an effective U.S. response to threats anywhere in the world. It can fly more than 6,000 nautical miles unrefueled and more than 10,000 nautical miles with just one aerial refueling, giving it the ability to reach any point on the globe within hours.

The 20-aircraft fleet of B-2s is operated by the 509th Bomb Wing from its headquarters at Whiteman AFB, Mo.

Aerial Surveillance Systems has announced the SkyEye 350 Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350-based aerial surveillance aircraft successfully completed its first flight on September 30th.

FLIR Systems’ BRITE Star II was selected to be the electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) targeting sensor for the SkyEye 350. The BRITE Star II is the latest generation of the combat-proven laser designation system. Its range performance, sensor combination, and program record make it the low-risk choice for reliable, long-range target designation.

With a 100% duty cycle, diode-pumped laser rangefinder/designator and in-flight boresighting, the system is capable of being the eyes for any fixed-wing aircraft, helicopter or unmanned aerial vehicle. The BRITE Star II is currently fielded on the MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff and Landing Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and the UH-1Y utility helicopter.

The specially modified EO/IR sensor package will capture stabilized high-magnification images that allow the SkyEye 350 to provide a wide range of low-medium-high-altitude tactical missions and long-range covert surveillance operation capabilities.

FLIR Systems has more than 3,600 sensors in operation today, on over 100 different types of fixed-wing aircraft, helicopter, unmanned aerial vehicle and ship platforms in more than 75 countries around the world.

The SkyEye 350 is the most technologically advanced aerial surveillance platform in the world at its cost point. The aircraft is being offered at as a turnkey, COTS, user-friendly, exportable platform to the US DoD, international and foreign government customers and is available now with the shortest available delivery lead-time in the industry.

***Be the first one to have a SkyEye 350 model plane, visit Warplanes.com for more details.

Warplanes.com is again giving away five handcrafted model planes to our friends on Twittersphere to showcase one of the major reasons why we’re still the number one in the model plane industry – and that’s having modelers with the highest level of craftsmanship.

This contest is open to all twittizens especially aviation enthusiasts, model plane collectors or simply anyone who just wants to own one of these eye candies. If you win, you can pick any model plane you want included in this Halloween Sale list.

How to enter:

Simple! Just RT (ReTweet) this message from @_WarPlanes:

RT @_WarPlanes We’re giving away #warplanes Halloween treats! RT this 2b eligible to win 1 of 5 model planes from this list: http://3.ly/WP3

You can also post as many #warplanes as you’d like! The more #warplanes hashtag you use, the better the chance at winning. The hashtag #warplanes is important because it is our way to track the tweets of our participants.

We will announce the winners on Twitter so follow Daniel (@_WarPlanes) to keep yourself in the loop!

This contest will only run for 7 days from the starting date, that’s October 20th to October 27th, 2009.

Selection of Winners:

Five winners of model planes, who will be randomly selected, will then be contacted right away via Twitter DM (Direct Message). The lucky ones must supply Warplanes with his/her name, mailing address and telephone numbers. Prizes will be shipped upon receipt of this information. Below is the schedule of announcement of winners:

First winner: October 21 11:59am EDT

Second winner: October 21 10:00pm EDT

Third winner: October 22 10:00pm EDT

Fourth winner: October 23 10:00pmEDT

Fifth winner: October 23 10:00pm EDT

Note:

Prizes such as model planes are not convertible to cash. We are doing this just for fun and to give everyone a chance to own a model airplane from Warplanes, but if less than 100 people joined the contest, we have the right to change the rules and give away a smaller prize or extend the time limit. So please help spread the word by retweeting! Thanks so much and good luck!

Northrop Grumman will begin acceptance tests on the first Euro Hawk variant of the RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) following its official rollout at Palmdale, Calif., Oct 8.

The first international version of the UAV, which differs from previous variants in having six wing-mounted signals intelligence (SIGINT) pods, will require revised flight control software. This is being finalized for the start of taxi tests, currently expected to start in February.

Northrop Grumman also is working with the U.S. State Department to secure diplomatic clearance for the German-owned Euro Hawk to ferry the short distance to Edwards Air Force Base during its first flight, which is targeted for March. There the aircraft will conduct six months of envelope expansion work before transiting to Germany.

Northrop Grumman Euro Hawk program manager Jim Kohn says “we’re working on the route right now,” but current plans call for a direct flight along the great circle route via Canadian airspace. Previous trans-Atlantic flights from the west coast have transited via Florida, but Kohn says the shorter route will reduce flight time by around six hours.

Following delivery to EADS’ Manching site in Germany around Sept/Oct 2010, a full-up SIGINT suite will replace dummy payloads used up until then. After several months of ground clearance and test operations the aircraft will be handed over to the German Luftwaffe in 2011 for six months of concept of operations development work. This is expected to lead to a German request for proposals for a further four production Euro Hawks with contracts due in late 2012.

Northrop Grumman is currently planning to dovetail the Euro Hawk production with U.S. Air Force aircraft in Lots 12 and 13. Northrop Grumman hopes the Euro Hawk — the first variant for a foreign customer — will be a pathfinder for “a huge” international market, says company strike and surveillance division general manager Duke Dufresne. Aside from sales to Germany and NATO, the Global Hawk also is being eyed by Australia, Spain, Korea and Japan, amongst others, he says. “That’s why this is so significant,” Dufresne adds.