Northrop Grumman completes interim design review for USAF AOC modernisation

The US Air Force (USAF) and Northrop Grumman completed an integrated baseline review and interim design review (IDR) for the Air Operations Center (AOC) Weapons System (WS) 10.2 modernisation programme and expect to enter into preliminary design review (PDR) in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Northrop Grumman announced the completion of the baseline review on 17 September during the annual Air Force Association (AFA) symposium in Washington, DC. The review establishes an agreement between the USAF and Northrop Grumman on the cost, schedule, technical deliverables and associated technical and programmatic risks, the company said in a release. The review took place on 12 July and IDR was completed on 29 August.

Following PDR later this year, the 10.2 modernisation will enter into critical design review in 2013. Initial operational capability is scheduled for 2015, and the new system is expected to begin deployment into eight AOC sites that support the geographic combatant commanders beginning in 2015. Those locations include US Africa Command, Pacific Command and European Command.