Northrop Grumman and Diehl Defence signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 12 March 2024 to formalise their collaboration in support of multi-layered integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) capabilities for Germany.
The partnership aims to draw on Northrop Grumman’s expertise in developing the US Army’s Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) and combine this with Diehl’s with state-of-the-art ground-based air and missile defence systems such as IRIS-T SLM by enabling integration and interoperability with allied systems.
The MoU also addresses the critical need for NATO and European allies to modernise their IAMD capabilities.
The co-operation between the two companies will draw on Northrop Grumman’s BattleOne concept, which aims to deliver a connected battlespace that minimises response times for military decision-makers in increasingly complex combat scenarios by integrating all available effectors and means of air defence, using artificial intelligence to always suggest the most suitable and effective weapon for defence.
BattleOne is set to fundamentally change the air and missile defence of the future. The system is based on Northrop Grumman’s proven battle management capabilities and offers users scalability and flexibility to accomplish their tasks. By integrating all available air defence systems, thinking in different domains will soon be a thing of the past. The system bundles all air and ground-based air defence capabilities and makes them available in the shortest possible time.
Thanks to its open system architecture, BattleOne is also able to integrate current and future networks and offer customised solutions on this basis. All sensor data is collated in a database in order to suggest the best possible use of the available weapons to the user.
For Rebecca Torzone, vice president and general manager for global battle management and readiness at Northrop Grumman, 12 March “marks a pivotal moment in our commitment to work with German industry to advance defence capabilities”. By joining forces with Diehl Defence, she said, Northrop Grumman is embarking on a joint journey to shape the IAMD of the future.
Torsten Cook, senior vice president for Diehl Defence’s ground-based air defence business unit, is very excited about the partnership, which he said “offers new opportunities for our IRIS-T SLM customers”.
The parallel use of several ground-based air defence systems such as IRIS-T SLM and Patriot improves interoperability and thus increases the combat value of the deployed systems.
