Northrop Grumman : Demonstrates Rapid Software Deployment via the Cloud Leveraging Platform One

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Sept. 29, 2021 - Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC), in collaboration with the United States Air Force 76th Software Engineering Group (76SEWG), carried out a first of its kind demonstration leveraging the Air Force's DevSecOps environment, Platform One, to provide a simulated mission software update to flight-rated mission hardware through a secure cloud environment.

JADC2 Illustration

Utilizing mission critical Open Mission Systems (OMS) software, the 76SWEG team modifed code that initiated an automated build and containerized software transfer via encrypted internet to an East Coast Northrop Grumman team. The software update was deployed to flight-rated hardware, and the team then executed a simulated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission, returning data and results to 76SWEG developers at Tinker Air Force Base at the conclusion of the mission. This was the first demonstration of an OMS software payload deployed by geographically dispersed teams using Platform One in a secure cloud environment.

"To help connect the joint force, Northrop Grumman is advancing the speed of delivering mission specific software payloads, new capabilities and improved performance to operational platforms hours/minutes before, or even during, a mission," said Scott Stapp, vice president and chief technology officer, Northrop Grumman. "Northrop Grumman has enabling technologies that are required for JADC2, including advanced networking, AI, space, command and control systems, and is a prime contractor for key aeronautics platforms."

This demonstration achieved a number of digital transformation development goals for government and industry by combining a DevSecOps Pipeline based on Platform One, Kubernetes containerization and mission critical software meeting the OMS and Universal Command and Control Interface standards. It also showed how commercial technologies can securely integrate using open architecture standards in support of the Department of Defense's broader JADC2 efforts.

Northrop Grumman is a technology company, focused on global security and human discovery. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with capabilities they need to connect, advance and protect the U.S. and its allies. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers' toughest problems, our 90,000 employees define possible every day.