Aircraft
Northrop Grumman Delivers on Guardrail Modernization
Northrop Grumman was awarded a five-year contract in 2007 valued at up to $462 million for
Northrop Grumman is delivering the King Air-based RC-12X Guardrail signals intelligence aircraft to the U.S. Army. (Photo: Northrop Grumman)
Northrop Grumman is delivering the King Air-based RC-12X Guardrail signals intelligence aircraft to the U.S. Army. (Photo: Northrop Grumman)

The U.S. Army has fielded four of 14 planned RC-12X Guardrail signals intelligence (Sigint) aircraft with sensor packages from Northrop Grumman. Three more of the modified Beechcraft King Air turboprops will be delivered by early next year, with the balance by the first quarter of 2013, the company said.

Northrop Grumman was awarded a five-year contract in 2007 valued at up to $462 million for the Guardrail modernization program, which includes aircraft structural improvements by Hawker Beechcraft and new avionics installed by Stevens Aviation. The Guardrail contract, aimed at extending the life of the aircraft to 2025, followed the 2006 cancellation of the aerial common sensor program, a jet-powered surveillance platform that would have replaced the RC-12 and other systems.