Hermeus and Northrop Grumman team up to bring advanced mission systems to high-Mach aircraft

Hermeus and Northrop Grumman announced that they have entered into a strategic teaming agreement to advance high-Mach, unmanned capability for the U.S. military.

Under the agreement, Northrop Grumman will provide integrated mission systems design, development, integration, and sustainment for Hermeus' next-generation aircraft, reusable, unmanned high-Mach platforms designed to deliver affordable capability on relevant timelines. The collaboration creates a path to equip Hermeus' aircraft with technology across sensing, communications, navigation, and command and control, allowing the aircraft to operate more intelligently and take on more complex missions.

"We're building a new class of aircraft that gives the warfighter improved speed, range, and flexibility while integrating into the existing Force," said Zach Shore, CEO of Hermeus. "Adding Northrop Grumman's battle-tested mission systems will push what those aircraft can do in real world scenarios and help us field operational capability faster. Northrop brings decades of experience turning aircraft into effective mission platforms and that's exactly what we want to tap into."

The agreement brings together Northrop Grumman's mission systems and programme execution experience with Hermeus' rapid development approach and in-house mission management system (MMS) core, an open, modular system of systems that keeps flight-critical and mission-critical functions cleanly separated. Built to the U.S. Government's Agile Mission Suite and Autonomy Government Reference Architectures (AMS-GRA and A-GRA) and Open Mission Systems/Universal Command and Control Interface (OMS/UCI) standards, the MMS core allows the companies to integrate and update mission capabilities in weeks rather than years as requirements evolve. By integrating proven mission technology onto rapidly developed, next-generation unmanned aircraft, the companies aim to shorten the path from emerging operational need to tested, fieldable capability for the American warfighter.

Together, both companies are positioned to pursue opportunities across advanced development programmes that require both cutting-edge airframe technology and battle-tested mission systems.