Breaking Defense reports, “As part of its Drone Dominance initiative, the Pentagon has named five winners of a ‘lethality’ challenge, a title that could place them ahead of other vendors in the race to snag deals to arm small drones. On the competition’s website, the Pentagon announced that Bravo Ordnance, Kela Defense, Kraken Kinetics, Mountain Horse and Northrop Grumman have all been named winners of the recent Lethality Prize Challenge.”
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Tag: Northrop Grumman
Northrop Flies XRQ-73 SHEPARD Hybrid Flying Wing for First Time
Aerospace Global News reports, “Yesterday, Northrop Grumman announced its XRQ-73 SHEPARD hybrid electric experimental drone has begun flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The aircraft conducted its maiden flight in April.”
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Northrop Invests Big to Fast-Track B-21 Production
Breaking Defense reports, “Northrop Grumman will invest $2.5 billion of its own cash to accelerate production of the B-21 stealth bomber, with $200 million in investments slated to be executed this year, its chief executive said. The Air Force and Northrop in February finalized an agreement to increase the B-21 production rate by 25 percent, but CEO Kathy Warden’s comments on a financial earnings call today mark the first time the company has revealed what it plans to spend in order hit the ambitious goal.”
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Northrop’s Talon IQ Flies First Mission With Shield AI’s Hivemind Autonomy
The Defense Post reports, “Northrop Grumman’s Talon IQ modular testbed, equipped with Shield AI’s Hivemind as its digital brain, has completed its first partner mission autonomy flight in Mojave, California. Following its single‑day hardware‑in‑the‑loop test, Hivemind successfully directed Talon IQ to execute combat air patrol and target engagement in the flight before the aircraft swapped back to Northrop’s Prism autonomy software.”
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Northrop Sees Return to Growth in Space Business Following 2025 Decline
Via Satellite reports, “Northrop Grumman’s Space segment saw an 8% decline in sales in 2025, but the company is projecting a return to growth in 2026. Northrop Grumman reported full-year sales on Tuesday. Space Systems sales in 2025 were $10.8 billion, a decline of $960 million compared to 2024. The company attributed the decline to work winding down on a canceled classified space program and the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) program, which was awarded to Lockheed Martin.”
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B-21 Flight Test Pace Speeds Up as USAF, Northrop Plan to Increase Production
Aviation Week reports, “The second B-21 flight test aircraft has already flown a second time since its delivery sortie from Northrop Grumman to the U.S. Air Force, as the company says the bombers are increasing their pace of tests that have validated their predictions. The company and the service are finalizing plans on how to use congressionally added funds to increase production capacity for the bomber, says Tom Jones, corporate vice president and president of Aeronautics Systems at Northrop Grumman.”
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Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus Cargo Capsule Arrives at ISS a Day Late After Engine Issue
AP News reports, “A supply ship arrived at the International Space Station on Thursday after a day’s delay due to a premature engine shutdown. Astronauts used the space station’s robot arm to pluck Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus capsule from orbit as they soared over Africa.”
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Northrop Grumman Delays Supply Delivery to ISS Due to Engine Trouble
AP News reports, “A newly launched supply ship has run into engine trouble that is preventing it from reaching the International Space Station. Northrop Grumman’s capsule rocketed into orbit Sunday from Florida aboard SpaceX. But less than two days later, the capsule’s main engine shut down prematurely while trying to boost its orbit. The Cygnus capsule was supposed to dock Wednesday, delivering more than 11,000 pounds (5,000 kilograms) of cargo. But NASA said everything is on hold while flight controllers consider an alternate plan.”
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SpaceX Launches Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL on its First Mission
SPACE reports, “SpaceX launched Northrop Grumman’s new “Cygnus XL” cargo ship on its debut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday evening (Sept. 14). A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Cygnus freighter lifted off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 6:11 p.m. EDT (2211 GMT).” NG-23’s Cygnus XL “is scheduled to arrive at the ISS on Wednesday (Sept. 17) at 6:35 a.m. EDT (1035 GMT).”
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Video
A SpaceX Falcon 9 launches CRS NG-23 to the ISS. (Launch occurs at the 58:58 mark)
NASASpaceflight; YouTube
Northrop Anticipates Next B-21 Production Award by End of the Year
Defense One reports, “Northrop Grumman anticipates getting a second contract to continue producing the Pentagon’s new B-21 Raider by the end of the year, executives announced today. ‘With B-21, we are on track for meeting the milestones associated with an award’ for Low-Rate Initial Production Contract 2, or LRIP 2 ‘and so we are expecting that to happen in the fourth quarter,’ CEO Kathy Warden told investors during the company’s third-quarter earnings call Thursday.”
Full Story (Defense One)