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Northrop Grumman has officially delivered the first of the next-generation Stand-in Attack Weapons to the US Air Force ahead of the first round of flight and aircraft integration testing.
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Designed to be deployed in the disruption of advanced anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) environment through the rapid, lethal engagement of high-value, rapidly redeployable targets, the delivery of the Northrop Grumman Stand-in Attack Weapons (SiAW) test missile will verify that the launch aircraft can safely carry and separate the weapon.
This delivery comes following the September 2023 awarding of a US$705 million contract to deliver the SiAW to the US Air Force.
Susan Bruce, vice-president, advanced weapons, Northrop Grumman, said at the time of the contract award, “Northrop Grumman’s SiAW delivers on the Air Force’s desire for its first digital weapons acquisition and development program. With our expert digital engineering capabilities, this next-generation missile represents an adaptable, affordable way for the Department of Defense to buy and modernise weapons.”
Northrop Grumman’s SiAW solution can be integrated on a variety of aircraft and leverages lessons learned on the Navy’s AARGM-ER and integration work on the F-35 aircraft.
To adapt to ever-changing threats, the missile design features open architecture interfaces that will allow for rapid subsystem upgrades to field enhanced capabilities to the warfighter.
Phase two development is a continuation of the Air Force requirement for this first-of-its-kind Middle Tier Acquisition large weapon program focused on digital engineering, Weapon Open System Architecture and agility. Phase two consists of two primary increments:
- Phase 2.1 concludes with a guided vehicle flight test.
- Phase 2.2 concludes with three additional flight tests and the delivery of SiAW leave-behind prototype missiles and test assets.
The development of SiAW is part of Northrop Grumman’s broad offerings in advanced weapons, including armaments, components, missiles, electronics and interceptors to defeat and deter threats.
The US Air Force is targeting an initial operational capability of the SiAW by 2026.
