News

The U.S. Navy's new intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) program, the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Unmanned Aircraft System (BAM UAS), is the next generation of the Defense Department's high-altitude, long-endurance system for coverage of oceanographic and littoral areas. Supplied by Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector, the Navy will deploy the maritime derivative of the RQ-4B Global Hawk aerial vehicle designated the MQ-4C BAMS UAS. A key advantage of the MQ-4C is its ability for continuous, sustained operations over an area of interest at great distances, enabling it to deliver all-weather, persistent "eye in the sky" ISR directly to the maritime commander.

Northrop Grumman developed an advanced Ground Control Station (GCS) operator training system for the BAMS UAS program. A key requirement is recording video at up to 1920x1200 pixels resolution for after-action-review. To maximize effectiveness, Northrop Grumman devised realistic imagery making the simulated ground stations indistinguishable from the real thing.

RGB Spectrum's DGy™ high-definition digital recording and streaming systems were selected to reproduce the intricate detail necessary for debriefing sessions. The GCS training system utilizes three DGy 201HD codecs, each recording one of three PCs generating the simulated visuals, including complex telemetry, avionics, navigation, radar, HD video, geo-specific terrain imagery, and other related information.

The DGy system achieves near lossless image compression with a leading-edge JPEG2000 wavelet-based codec. Northrop Grumman recognized the benefits of the DGy's versatile playback capabilities, including its ability to export recordings for data dissemination, post-training analysis, and archiving.

The operator training system simulates aircraft performance, communications systems, sensors, datalink operations, video feeds, and environmental conditions as encountered in real-world operation. The system provides scenarios to enhance operator decision-making, image analysis skills, and task proficiency.

Following a training session, instructors convene trainees for after-action-reviews. Recordings are replayed from the DGy system for debriefing and analysis utilizing the DGy's flexible playback capabilities, including event marking, instant random access, variable speed, and frame-by-frame jog/shuttle.

RGB Spectrum's DGy recording and streaming technology is the de facto standard in mission-critical applications in command-and-control, emergency operations, missile testing, security, and telemetry. High-profile installations include the F-35 Lightning III Joint Strike Fighter simulator program, the U.S. Army Space and Strategic Defense Command, the U.S. Army Operational Test Command, and deployments on the U.S. Navy destroyer fleet, the Canada Navy frigate fleet, and at the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems (NGAS) is a premier provider of manned and unmanned aircraft, space systems, missile systems and advanced technologies critical to the nation's security. Key products include the RQ-4 Global Hawk, MQ-8B Fire Scout and X-47B UCAS-D unmanned aircraft systems; B-2 Stealth bomber; E-2D Advanced Hawkeye; Space Tracking and Surveillance System; Airborne Laser Test Bed; and ICBM Prime Integration Contract. Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems is based in El Segundo, California. For more information, call 310-812-4321 or visitnorthropgrumman.com