The U.S. Army has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation a contract for Phase 1 of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) program. IBCS will provide air and missile defense warfighters the advantage of full situational understanding and the tools needed to effectively carry out their mission. The 11-month contract is valued at $15 million.

Northrop Grumman is one of two companies selected for this preliminary design phase. Final award of the development and test phase to one team is expected next year.

IBCS will establish a network-centric system-of-systems solution for integrating sensors, shooters, and battle management, command, control, communications and intelligence systems for the U.S. Army air and missile defense. Programs such as Patriot, SLAMRAAM, JLENS, Sentinel and THAAD will be interconnected via an integrated fire control network that allows the warfighter to take advantage of expanded sensor and weapon system combinations. As the system evolves, it will utilize a "plug-and-fight" approach that will ensure future systems can be easily incorporated. The program is expected to be fielded by 2014.

The program is being managed by the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Project Office, in support of the Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space in Huntsville, AL.