Northrop's $4B Army Black Program?


Message posted by TAGBOARD on June 08, 2010 at 19:40:41 PST:

I was recently researching past contracts on FedSpending.org, and queried Northrop's funding trail in the past 10 years. If you filter their funding to "Miscellaneous Items", you'll notice something interesting performed in "Unknown Districts" (see hyperlink).

Northrop was paid $4.3B in the period between 2007 & 2008 from the US Army (see my post above for other clues during this period). I recall hearing about a possible Army effort going on in the early 2000's that may have shifted work from Lockheed to Northrop. This supports that rumor.

Northrop is unquestionably one of the more recent black program prime contractors. One may speculate the effort was a USAF program (NGB), but disguised as Army-funded to throw investigators "off the scent".

On the other hand, you might assume that if the $4B program is truly pushed by the Army, it's likely a tactical asset, and not the more strategic NGB. From other sources, I've read the USAF has made it's peace with the Army, allowing the Army to remain operating tactical UAS. Look at the continuation of the MQ-1C Sky Warrior ERMP UAS for example.

I've read in multiple places that the RQ-170 is a more tactical asset. Is it linked to the $4B Northrop/Army program? Was Northrop the UAS prime contractor and subcontracted the airframe to Lockheed?

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