Northrop Grumman to upgrade AWACS radar

Designers at the Northrop Grumman Corp. Electronic Sensors and Systems Division in Baltimore are set to upgrade the radar systems on 28 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft over the next four years from NATO, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. The so-called Radar System Improvement Program - better known as RSIP - is to be the most significant upgrade to AWACS since its development in the early 1970s, Northrop Grumman officials say. The modifications to the AN/APY-2 AWACS radar will improve its ability to detect small targets and simplify operations and maintenance, company officials say. - J.K.