This autumn, Northrop Grumman will test an aircraft equipped with Prism software, a test bed for plug-and-play AI modules for multi-domain missions.
Summary
Northrop Grumman is preparing for the first flight of its AI testbed aircraft equipped with Prism software, scheduled for this fall. This platform aims to test rapidly deployable, plug-and-play artificial intelligence modules to support the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program. The project illustrates a desire to accelerate the adoption of AI in multi-domain missions, whether air, sea, or land operations. The Prism software serves as an open architecture for testing autonomous decision-making, coordination with other aircraft, and the operation of various sensors. The challenge is both industrial and operational: to offer an adaptable, interoperable, and competitive solution to Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Anduril. This test bed, which combines software development and hardware integration, will reduce the time between research and operational use. For Northrop Grumman, this is a strategic milestone in conquering the future market for autonomous systems.
The testbed aircraft project and its objectives
Northrop Grumman is developing a flying platform specifically dedicated to testing plug-and-play AI modules. Scheduled for its first flight in the fall, the aircraft will be used to validate the Prism software in a real-world environment. The goal is to have an aerial test bed capable of quickly receiving new software and algorithmic building blocks. This modularity should accelerate the integration of innovations from laboratories, universities, and start-ups, without having to wait for long industrial cycles.
A milestone for the U.S. Air Force
This program is part of the U.S. Air Force’s ambition to implement Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). These autonomous or semi-autonomous aircraft will complement piloted fighters, multiplying tactical options and reducing risk to crews. Northrop’s testbed aims to demonstrate that AI modules can be tested in flight, validated, and then deployed within a matter of months rather than years.
Prism technology and its open architecture
At the heart of the project is Prism software, designed as an open software architecture. Prism can accommodate a variety of AI algorithms, ranging from mission planning to target recognition and tactical communications management.
The plug-and-play principle
Each software module can be inserted or removed depending on the mission. This plug-and-play functionality is inspired by modular approaches in civilian computing. It allows developers to integrate innovations without rewriting the entire system. For the U.S. Air Force, this agility is crucial: it reduces development costs and ensures that aircraft always benefit from the latest capabilities.
Testing in complex environments
The testbed will be used to test Prism in data-saturated environments, with electromagnetic interference, multiple sensors, and sometimes degraded communications. The AI modules will have to prove their robustness in processing these data streams and providing relevant decision support, including during long-range missions exceeding 1,000 kilometers.
The challenges of multi-domain superiority
The introduction of embedded AI aims to transform the way forces operate. By linking the testbed aircraft to land, naval, and space systems, Northrop Grumman is demonstrating that Prism is not limited to the air domain alone.
Collaborative mission management
One of the expected benefits is coordination between manned and unmanned aircraft. An F-35 fighter could delegate certain tasks to a CCA drone equipped with Prism: electronic jamming, radar detection, and even missile interception. This division of roles optimizes survivability and overall effectiveness.
Allied interoperability
Prism’s open architecture is designed to integrate with NATO standards and allied networks. In a context where several countries are developing similar programs, this compatibility becomes a strategic argument. It makes it possible to envisage joint exercises and multinational missions without excessive integration complexity.
Strategic importance for Northrop Grumman
The Prism testbed is not just a technical project: it represents a major industrial challenge.
A response to competition
Northrop Grumman faces intense competition. Boeing has already demonstrated its MQ-28 Ghost Bat in Australia, while Lockheed Martin and General Atomics are advancing their own demonstrators. For its part, Anduril is focusing on native AI architectures, such as the Fury drone. By launching an AI testbed, Northrop is positioning itself as a key player in the future market, estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars.
A signal sent to the Pentagon
The potential contract for CCAs could represent the largest order for combat drones in the history of the U.S. Air Force. By demonstrating its ability to rapidly integrate software innovations, Northrop Grumman is showing its desire to become a key supplier. The Prism testbed is therefore also an industrial and political communication tool, designed to convince decision-makers and the military of the relevance of its approach.
Expected effects on the defense ecosystem
The program goes far beyond the testbed aircraft alone.
A dynamic of partnerships
Northrop Grumman plans to bring together universities, start-ups, and SMEs specializing in artificial intelligence. By offering a concrete test bed, the company is creating an ecosystem where innovations can be tested directly in flight, reducing the barrier to entry for new players.
Accelerating the innovation-operation loop
Traditionally, new military software takes between 5 and 10 years to become operational. With Prism, Northrop hopes to reduce this timeframe to 12-24 months. This acceleration of the innovation-operation loop is crucial in a context where threats are evolving rapidly, whether they be low-cost drones or hypersonic missiles.
Operational consequences for the U.S. Air Force
The testbed’s first flight should validate several concrete scenarios.
Enhanced collaborative combat capabilities
AI modules could manage threat avoidance, optimize the use of weapons, or coordinate formations of multiple aircraft. The expected benefit is improved mission effectiveness and reduced cognitive load for human pilots.
Preparing for future electronic warfare
The onboard AI will be put to the test in the face of massive jamming and contested environments. Prism will have to demonstrate that it can maintain secure communications and make relevant decisions, even when traditional data links are disrupted.
Limitations and challenges
Despite its ambitions, the project faces several challenges.
Algorithm security and reliability
The certification of AI modules used in military operations remains an open question. Errors in target or trajectory identification can have serious consequences. Northrop Grumman will have to demonstrate that Prism can offer sufficient guarantees of security and traceability of decisions.
Industrial sustainability
The success of the project will also depend on Northrop’s ability to maintain a responsive production and integration chain. This requires significant investment in infrastructure and careful management of intellectual property with partners.
The scope of the first flight expected this fall
The maiden flight will be a decisive milestone. It will not only prove that the aircraft can fly with Prism, but also demonstrate the ability to quickly insert and test different modules. This milestone will provide an initial indication of the project’s maturity and Northrop Grumman’s credibility in the competition for CCAs.
A look ahead to the 2030s
The Prism testbed aircraft illustrates a strategic turning point: embedded AI is becoming central to defense programs. For Northrop Grumman, the success of this project will determine its position against Boeing and Lockheed Martin in the race for autonomous systems. The 2030s could see the widespread adoption of mixed fleets, where piloted aircraft and collaborative drones work together. The speed with which the industry integrates these technologies will determine who dominates the skies of tomorrow.