Northrop Grumman Corporation announced the successful completion of the second flight test of its AGM-88G Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile Extended Range (AARGM-ER). The U.S. Navy launched the missile from an F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft on January 21 at the Point Mugu Sea Range off the coast of southern California. The missile performed an extended range profile, engaging a land-based, emitter target staged at the range on San Nicholas Island. AARGM-ER leverages existing state-of-the-art AARGM sensors, electronics and digital models with the addition of a new high-performance air vehicle, solid rocket motor propulsion system and advanced warhead.
Since achieving a Milestone C Decision (authorization for Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP)) in September 2021, AARGM-ER prime contractor Northrop Grumman has continued to lead its industry team in development of a critically needed warfighting capability. Northrop Grumman is currently under contract to deliver production units of AARGM-ER to support a 2023 initial operational capability (IOC) fielding. In December 2021, Northrop Grumman received a .6M contract for the second lot of AARGM-ER LRIP. AARGM-ER is being integrated on the Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft as well as F-35A/B/C aircraft.
“This second flight test verified AARGM-ER’s ability to detect, identify, locate and engage a land-based air defense radar system from an extended range,” said Captain A.C. Dutko, Navy Program Manager for Direct and Time Sensitive Strike (PMA-242).
“AARGM-ER provides the U.S. Navy with the capability to stay ahead of evolving threats. This flight test further demonstrated the critical capability of AARGM-ER to precisely engage long-range threats, while enabling launching aircrew to remain at a safe distance,” said Mary Petryszyn, corporate vice president and president, Northrop Grumman Defense Systems. “.”
Northrop Grumman is a technology company, focused on global security and human discovery. Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense technology company. With 90,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $30 billion, it is one of the world’s largest weapons manufacturers and military technology providers. The firm ranks No. 96 on the 2020 Fortune 500 list of America’s largest corporations. Northrop Grumman is made up of four main business sectors: Aeronautics Systems, Defense Systems, Mission Systems and Space Systems. Prior to Northrop Grumman’s reorganization of its divisions on January 1, 2020, the divisions were: Aerospace Systems, Mission Systems, Technology Services, and Innovation Systems.
