Northrop Developing AI, Comms Tech for JADC2 Effort; Scott Stapp Quoted

Scott Stapp, chief technology officer of Northrop Grumman, has said the company is working on artificial intelligence, machine learning, command-and-control and battle management concepts for internal research and defense efforts, National Defense Magazine reported Tuesday.

Stapp, who also serves as the Joint All-Domain Command and Control program lead, said at an online industry event that JADC2 and its systems could be integrated into the operations of the intelligence community, U.S. Space Force and Department of Homeland Security in the near future.

Vern Boyle, vice president of advanced capabilities at Northrop, noted that the company is developing AI platforms that could be crucial to addressing potential “information overload” across the JADC2 infrastructure and the military's internet of things network.

Other initiatives that the company is looking into include wargaming activities at scale and the development of its battlefield airborne communications node for high-altitude flight.

Jenna Paukstis, VP of the communications solutions division at Northrop, said the BACN technology is designed to support data sharing across the service branches and is “really at the heart of JADC2”.

Northrop is also funding industry events to drive the discussion on AI while investing in related research with Carnegie Mellon University, according to Boyle.