[Avionics Today April 24, 2014] Northrop Grumman has completed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for the U.S. Air Force with its software upgrade for the B-2 Bomber.
The upgrade is designed to replace multiple Operational Flight Programs (OFP) — embedded software that allows the B-2 to communicate accurately with the equipment that dispenses its weapons — with a single OFP, Northrop. With the goal of extending the life of the B-2, the U.S. Air Force is looking to use the upgrade to improve the aircraft’s mission capabilities and reduce maintenance costs.
"We’re simplifying the software used by the B-2 to manage its weapons," explained Dave Mazur, vice president and B-2 program manager, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "Today we have several standalone programs that each manage a specific type of mission. We’re replacing that software with a single program that can manage all of those mission types."
Mazur said the result will be a more reliable and affordable way to maintain the B-2’s mission readiness.