How NGC Enhances Mission Readiness for Air Tankers

March 04, 2025

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The KC-135 Stratotanker has an undeniable legacy in the history of the United States military, with nearly seven decades of providing mid-air refueling, cargo and medical aid transport. Tankers like the KC-135, as well as other currently fielded tankers, operate in non-combat environments due to limitations in their onboard situational awareness and communications capabilities. However, an affordable yet robust voice and data interoperability system could significantly expand the role today’s tankers play in the battlespace.  

Northrop Grumman, in collaboration with the Utah Air National Guard and Air Mobility Command, demonstrated a data interoperability system that could rapidly increase the KC-135 platform’s survivability through enhanced situational awareness for the tanker. This system can also allow for airborne data translation amongst various warfighting platforms, providing a common operating picture. The system translates and distributes imagery, voice, and tactical data from disparate elements in the battlespace, allowing all warfighters in the area to sense and make sense of their environment. This not only makes the tanker more effective but also allows it to relay information to an extended network on the connected battlefield, so more resources have the critical information they need to make key decisions.   

The system shown at the demonstration included elements of the new NG InSight™ product line and combined them with Northrop Grumman’s legacy end-to-end advanced communications and networking capabilities. NG InSight™ provides next-gen connectivity and secure communications, seamlessly linking defense assets across air, land, space and sea. This advanced system allows joint and coalition forces to operate as a unified force, enabling warfighters to make fast, informed decisions.

The demonstration was a pathfinder and risk reduction exercise to evaluate viable combat capabilities focused on improving air tanker platforms’ ability to meet the demands of facing near-peer threats. The customizable and portable solution can be easily added or removed as needed from most tanker platforms and would transform the aircraft into a force multiplier in the airspace.

“Our system shows how a connected tanker platform could be used for more than air refueling and cargo transport,” said Kevin Berkowitz, vice president, communications solutions, Northrop Grumman. “The additional communications and survivability support could address current challenges for today’s tankers and shape the role they play in the battlespace. This is one way Northrop Grumman can modernize air mobility to ensure readiness for the future fight.”

“Northrop Grumman has a rich history of developing effective, reliable airborne data interoperability solutions” said Berkowitz. “Our technology leadership in advanced airborne networking solutions makes us uniquely suited to rapidly enhance the tanker’s capabilities.”

While tankers typically operate in permissive air spaces, our portable communications system could make them even more relevant in today’s missions. With enhanced awareness of the environment, these platforms could move into contested environments, providing a means of connecting all platforms in the battlespace with lifesaving information.   

“As the battlespace becomes increasingly complex, the ability to receive, translate and transmit data between legacy and emerging platforms is critical,” said Berkowitz. “Equipping tankers already in the field with our portable communications system would rapidly increase our ability to share essential information, keeping our warfighters safe and enabling them to carry out the mission.”

Source : Northrop Grumman Corporation