Northrop Grumman Corporation and Airbus Defense and Space, along with seven industry players, have created ASPAARO, the Atlantic Strategic Partnership for Advanced Resilient Operations in All Fields. ASPAARO will bid to undertake Risk Reduction and Feasibility Studies (RRFS) for the NATO Support and Supply Agency as part of the Alliance’s Future Monitoring and Control Program (AFSC).
ASPAARO offers the skills and capabilities to face the threats of today and tomorrow and will meet the Alliance’s requirements in all areas. ASPAARO will leverage its multi-domain concepts, advanced technologies and integrated designs to pave the way for a fully interoperable architecture among NATO nations while further driving innovation through access, investment and a combined experience.
Feasibility studies are a key step in the AFSC program which aims to support NATO and NATO countries as they consider the Alliance’s future tactical surveillance, command and control capabilities once the Current Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) fleet will have reached the end of its service. life in 2035.
After the delivery of a high level technical concept in 2020 by three of the team members (Airbus, Lockheed Martin and MDA Ltd.), Airbus continues to support NATO in the design phase of the AFSC program with Northrop Grumman and a strong transatlantic. team comprising Lockheed Martin (US), BAE Systems (UK), KONGSBERG (Norway), MDA (Canada), GMV (Spain), Exence (Poland) and IBM (US).
A decision on the award of the contract for the risk reduction and feasibility studies for NATO’s AFSC is expected in 2022.
