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The primes have established a strategic partnership as part of their push to deliver next-generation surveillance capability to NATO.
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Northrop Grumman Corporation and Airbus Defence and Space have established the Atlantic Strategic Partnership for Advanced All-domain Resilient Operations (ASPAARO) — a joint venture aimed at securing NATO’s Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) contract.
The primes — which have also teamed up with Lockheed Martin (US), BAE Systems (UK), KONGSBERG (Norway), MDA (Canada), GMV (Spain), Exence (Poland), and IBM (US) — will now bid to undertake the Risk Reduction and Feasibility Studies (RRFS) for the NATO Support and Procurement Agency.
The feasibility studies will consider proposals to support NATO’s future tactical surveillance, command and control capabilities, set to replace the current Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) fleet upon the conclusion of its service life in 2035.
This follows the delivery of a high-level technical concept in 2020 by Airbus, Lockheed Martin and MDA.
According to the team, ASPAARO would offer “unparalleled” capabilities, which would address the threats of the future battlespace.
ASPAARO is expected to leverage multi-domain concepts, advanced technologies and integrated designs to develop a fully interoperable architecture between NATO nations, while also supporting combined access, investments and experience.
“Cutting-edge surveillance and control systems are at the heart of ensuring NATO’s continued operational success to which we are fully committed to,” Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, said.
“We feel privileged to support this strategic programme for NATO by leveraging our experience and capabilities in multi-domain operations, surveillance and intelligence.
“With this trans-Atlantic teaming, we are offering our commitment to provide the Atlantic Alliance with the most powerful technological solutions to ensure it stays ahead of the curve in tomorrow’s multi-domain-driven theatres of operation.”
Northrop Grumman president of aeronautics systems Tom Jones added that ASPAARO would address changing surveillance and command and control needs.
“In a rapidly evolving threat environment NATO needs the strategic advantage that advanced surveillance and control provides; ASPAARO is committed to delivering those unmatched capabilities to the NATO AFSC programme,” Jones said.
The NATO Support and Procurement Agency is scheduled to make a decision on the contract award for the Risk Reduction and Feasibility Studies in 2022.
[Related: Airbus Helicopters appoints new ANZ managing director]
