Northrop Grumman Corporation has awarded Kitron a sub-contract for production of AN/ASQ-242 Integrated Communications, Navigation, and Identification (CNI) modules for the F-35 Lightning II-program. Deliveries will secure a backlog into 2025 and have a total value of more than USD 13 million. Production will take place at Kitron?s plant in Norway.

The sub-contract relates to the Long-Term Supply Agreement announced on 21 September 2015 and 24 November 2016, and covers Lot 16 through Lot 17. Northrop Grumman?s ICNI-system provides F-35-pilots with more than 27 fully integrated operational functions. Using its industry leading software-defined radio technology, Northrop Grumman?s design allows the simultaneous operation of multiple critical functions while greatly reducing size, weight, and power demands on the advanced F-35 fighter.

These functions include Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), automatic acquisition of fly-to-points, and various voice and data communications such as the multifunction advanced data link.