The race to provide the Army's next-generation intelligence aircraft is set to begin in earnest, with the service spelling out to Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman-led teamsexactly what it wants in the system. Northrop Grumman last week unveiled its platform choice for the Aerial Common Sensor (ACS), opting for the Gulfstream G450 (see p. 35). The aircraft―essentially a G400 with features from the G550 and designated the RC-20 for the Army project―should be adequate to meet not only the Army's baseline requirements, but also its longer term performance goals, suggested Bill Adams, Northrop Grumman's vice president for airborne reconnaissance.
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