Out of Many, One

The Air Force will get its first peek this week at a new single avionics unit being designed by Northrop Grumman to replace 21 unique B-2 stealth bomber systems, the company announced Feb. 5. “One of the most powerful features of the common processor is that it will allow B-2 maintainers to use one common set of test equipment,” said Dave Mazur, vice president and B-2 program manager at Northrop. “This approach will reduce avionics sustainment costs and help improve aircraft availability,” he added. Northrop Grumman was awarded the $43.5 million contract to eliminate obsolete and increasingly difficult-to-source electronics with a standard, reconfigurable component last August. The B-2’s Audio Central Distribution Unit will be the first system replaced over the 43-month project, according to the company.