NG nears contract worth $4B

The U-2/RQ-4 argument has been rather emphatically put to an end, as Northrop Grumman nears being awarded a sole source contract worth a maximum of $4B for support and upgrades of the RQ-4 fleet, ending in 2020.

Upgrades include engine upgrades, ground stations, deicing systems, and the ability to carry other sensors such as the MS-177 camera and the Senior Year system.

It was estimated that it would take four years and $300-400M to get another contractor up to speed to do the upgrades at this point.

www.flightglobal.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Well, I guess we know who won the LRS-B then...

a reply to: Barnalby

Couldn`t be, I remember reading awhile back that NGs bird had crashed and that Lockheed produced a show stopper. Also IIRC Lockheed had recently invested some money into a facility in Florida where the lrs-b is to be stationed, to the best of my knowledge. I try to keep up with you guys over time.

a reply to: StratosFear

No NG didn't crash. They were grounded for 90 days after a close call.

a reply to: Zaphod58

With all those new technologies, the worst they manage is a "close call"

And yet Airbus can't keep the planes in Spain from falling mainly on the plain.

a reply to: Barnalby

NG didn't crash because they had damn good pilots on board. When I say "close call", I mean everyone watching the launch went straight for a change of shorts, because they KNEW they were watching an airplane crash.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Yikes.

a reply to: TAGBOARD

From the way it was told to me, no one was sure how the hell they didn't scrape the runway. It was so close most thought they had.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Nah, they were just showing off. Letting those fighter jocks know whos the daddy.... How low can you go !!!

a reply to: StratosFear

NG's consolation prize. DoD's way of saying, "Thanks for playing, here have a biscuit".

a reply to: nelloh62

Pretty sure that's as low as you can go:

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Barnalby

NG didn't crash because they had damn good pilots on board. When I say "close call", I mean everyone watching the launch went straight for a change of shorts, because they KNEW they were watching an airplane crash.

Interesting use of word launch...or is that what they call take off??

a reply to: Forensick

That's a fancy word for the entire process that results in taking off. It's from preflight to wheels up.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Forensick

That's a fancy word for the entire process that results in taking off. It's from preflight to wheels up.

Ok, wondered if you had dropped an Easter egg :-)

a reply to: Forensick

Nah, not that nice today.

There is a darkness that breeds within a mans heart