A Northrop Grumman Corporation-designed virtual and constructive training suite saw extensive use during the recent Exercise Northern Edge 2015, held in Alaska, the company announced August 7, helping mark several milestones in the development of capable virtual training systems able to link up with live-fly events. From June 11-26, the participants in Alaska were connected to other forces operating at sites across the US by the LEXIOS system, or Live Virtual and Constructive (LVC) Experimentation, Integration and Operations Suite. “Northern Edge was the largest (live virtual and constructive) integration seen to date in any of the services,” said Capt. Matthew Mendenhall, chief of command and control operations for the 353th Combat Training Squadron at Eielson AFB, Alaska. Through the LEXIOS system, virtual aircraft were flown by live aircrews, enabling airmen to participate in the exercise in the same airspace as those flying real aircraft over the Alaska ranges. The exercise also saw the first successful integration of virtual mobility and combat aircrews which could support live flight operations and the first operational training event via the distributed mission operations network, said Northrop Grumman’s Martin J. Amen, director of satellite and network operations for the company’s information systems group.
The Air Force conducted its first successful test of the Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon, or ARRW, on May 14, snapping a streak of three consecutive failed tests and giving the beleaguered hypersonics program a much needed boost. Off the coast of Southern California, the AGM-183A ARRW separated from the wing…