Empire Challenge 2011

Image: Northrop Firebird OPV

Empire Challenge (EC) is an annual joint and multinational live intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) interoperability demonstration sponsored by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Intelligence (USD/I). EC showcases emerging ISR capabilities and provides vital lessons learned to improve joint and combined ISR interoperability to support warfighters at the tactical edge. EC 11 will be conducted May 23 - June 3, with a focus on near-term capabilities that can be delivered rapidly to the warfighter.
Northrop Grumman is planning to publicly unveil its new and to showcase the use of up to four payloads – including high-definition full-motion video, electro-optical/infrared sensors, electronic support/direction finding and a communications relay — simultaneously on Firebird. The company plans to land, reconfigure the sensor payload and launch a new sortie within an hour. Northrop Grumman aspires to challenge General Atomics that dominate the US large UAV market with their Predator B systems.