Aerospace

Northrop Grumman Withdraws from NGAD Fighter Program

Northrop Grumman made the decision to quit participating in the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) sixth-generation fighter programme of the United States Air Force.

Although Northrop Grumman would not compete as a prime contractor for the USAF’s NGAD programme, Kathy Warden, CEO of Northrop Grumman, made it clear that the company might work with one of the remaining bidders as a supplier for their mission systems portfolio.

US secret 6th-generation ‘fighter’ is now officially in development(Opens in a new browser tab)

In a post-earnings conference call with investors, Kathy Warden, chief executive officer of Northrop, said, “We have informed the U.S. Air Force that we’re not planning to respond to the NGAD RFP as a prime.”

Despite avoiding the topic of the new fighter aircraft competition, Northrop claimed that the Indo-Pacific conflict and the Ukraine conflict have forced these countries’ militaries to spend more money.

Northrop Grumman to Unveil the B-21 Raider(Opens in a new browser tab)

In an interview with Reuters, the CFO of Dave Keffer Northrop stated that “there is strong demand throughout Europe.” Eight potential new customers visited us to see a demonstration of our IBCS capabilities, which include our highly sought-after integrated combat management system.

A contractor for NGAD will be chosen by the Air Force in 2024, the service branch stated in mid-May. As a replacement for the F-22 air-to-air fighter, the NGAD will “include attributes such as enhanced lethality and the abilities to survive, persist, interoperate, and adapt in the air domain, all within highly-contested operational environments,” according to a service statement.

Aerospace

When Ratan Tata was denied entry to the airfield at the Aero India show, he waited

During our visit to Aero India 2019, we had the unexpected opportunity to see Ratan Tata at the event, which was a thrilling moment for us. However, there was a surprising hiccup when the security staff didn’t allow him to enter due to a lack of a security pass.

Despite this, he remained calm and patiently waited for about 20 minutes until a member of the Tata team brought him the required pass, after which he calmly proceeded inside. It was a humbling sight, showcasing his composed demeanor even in such situations.

Ratan Tata ji is not only a renowned industrialist but also a trained pilot, holding a pilot’s license. In 2007, he became the first Indian civilian to fly the F-16 Falcon during the Aero India show in Bangalore—a proud moment for the nation.

His passion for aviation extended beyond flying, as he played a key role in shaping India’s aerospace industry. Under his leadership, Tata ventured into manufacturing and maintaining aerospace components while upholding its legacy of quality. Notably, Tata’s collaboration with Airbus to develop and manufacture the C295 aircraft is a testament to its growing influence in the sector.