The Army’s new Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS), built by Northrop Grumman [NOC], has been approved for full-rate production (FRP).
The Defense Acquisition Board (DAB), led by DoD acquisition executive Bill LaPlante, signed off on the FRP milestone for IBCS on Monday, which follows the completion of initial operational test and evaluation last fall.
“Navigating a successful FRP DAB is truly a monumental accomplishment for the collective team. Our soldiers’ and civilians’ dedication, expertise, and collaboration with industry and the stakeholder community has paved the way for a more effective and coordinated capability against complex air and missile threats that will serve our Army and Joint force for decades to come,” Col. Chris Hill, project manager for the Army’s Integrated Fires Mission Command (IFMC) project office, said in a statement on Tuesday.
IBCS is the U.S. Army’s future missile defense command platform, designed to integrate and connect the service’s full range of “sensor to shooter” capabilities, with the service planning to field to the first unit by the end of FY ‘24.
“The United States Defense Department’s decision to approve the Integrated Battle Command System for Full Rate Production is confirmation that it is mature, proven and ready. IBCS transforms the battlespace by fusing data from any sensor to create a single integrated air picture allowing commanders to see the battlespace and use the best weapons to defeat complex threats. Northrop Grumman shares the U.S. Army’s commitment to the rapid deployment of IBCS,” Rebecca Torzone, Northrop Grumman’s vice president and general manager for combat systems and mission readiness, said in a statement to Defense Daily.
The Army in December 2021 awarded Northrop Grumman a potential $1.4 billion deal for IBCS low-rate production (Defense Daily, Dec. 23 2021).
No new production order was placed with Northrop Grumman to coincide with the full-rate production announcement, a company spokesperson confirmed to Defense Daily.
“As we progress through fielding plans with the Army, we’ll have production contracts in place that support the quantities and timeline for fielding across the Army,” the Northrop Grumman spokesperson said.
Brig. Gen. Frank Lozano, the Army’s program executive officer for missiles and space, said in late March that following the full-rate production announcement there would be an initial operational capability designation for IBCS around April 24 (Defense Daily, March 28).
“The Army is proving it can and will succeed with its modernization plans as we continue to build momentum for the future,” Lozano said in a statement on Tuesday. “The sensor and effector integration this program brings to air and missile defense will ensure that our warfighters are best equipped to provide air defense against enemy threats. The success of this program is a testament to the incredible talent and capability of the soldiers, civilians and industry partners whose work ensures the safety and security of our nation.”
Poland, the first international customer for IBCS, is set to reach a base operational capability with the system by the end of the summer, a Northrop Grumman official told reporters during a recent visit to the company’s manufacturing facility in Huntsville, Alabama.
“It’s interesting but, notionally, the Poland [foreign military sale] case is maybe around two years in advance of [the U.S. Army]. But what we like to point out is the U.S. Army has gotten a substantial benefit from that,” business development director Ian Reynolds said during the media briefing.