Live-Fire Flight Tests with New Sensor for Integrated Battle Command System

Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) has demonstrated its role in the U.S. Army’s air and missile defense through its recent integration of the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS).

During advanced live fire flight tests in November and December at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, with LTAMDS, IBCS once again demonstrated its ability to integrate sensors and effectors, fusing data across the battlespace to defeat complex air and missile threats.

IBCS is a command and control system unifying current and future assets in the battlespace, regardless of source, service, or domain. Through its modular, open, and scalable architecture, IBCS gives warfighters capabilities not previously available by fusing sensor data for a single actionable picture of the full battlespace, enabling rapid, informed decisions to optimize shooters. 

This capability extends the battlespace, giving warfighters more time to make decisions on how best to defeat threats. The company asserts that IBCS is the centerpiece of the U.S. Army’s modernization strategy for air and missile defense.

LTAMDS is the U.S. Army’s next generation air and missile defense radar. The 360-degree, active electronically scanned array radar provides advanced performance against a range of threats, including manned and unmanned aircraft to cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and hypersonics.

During these recent tests, IBCS successfully:

• Detected, identified, and maintained an accurate composite track of incoming low- and high-altitude threats by processing LTAMDS data.
• Engaged and defeated an air-breathing cruise missile surrogate and a theater ballistic missile surrogate through fire control of a Patriot Advanced Capability – 3.

Northrop Grumman integrated the developmental LTAMDS sensor into IBCS, adding to the system’s ability to provide full battlespace awareness. The IBCS-enabled LTAMDS will replace existing Patriot radars when fielded in 2027.

Rebecca Torzone, Vice President and General Manager, Combat Systems and Mission Readiness, Northrop Grumman, said; “Integrating LTAMDS into IBCS marks another critical milestone achieved for this unrivaled battle command system that continues to reshape the battlespace across multiple missions, optimizing current and future networked air and missile defense in a cost-effective manner. 

“With the U.S. Army and global partners, Northrop Grumman will continue to advance IBCS as a paradigm-shattering system able to defeat the threats of today and tomorrow.”