US Navy, HII to upgrade Minotaur ISR family of systems
US Coast Guard Airbus HC-144A Ocean Sentry. The HC-144 is outfitted with the current variant of the Minotaur FoS. (US Coast Guard)
The US Navy (USN) and HII have reached a five-year deal to upgrade the Minotaur family of systems (FoS) with advanced mission-enabling hardware and software for USN and US Coast Guard (USCG) aircraft currently fielding the FoS.
The pending contract with HII is being finalised by Program Executive Office (PEO) Assault, Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft Program Office (PMA-290) at Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), according to a 15 January industry notice. The official contract is expected to be awarded to HII by the third quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2027, the notice stated.
The contract will cover design, development, and engineering work associated with integration and fielding of the ânext-generation of advanced systemsâ, including advanced airborne mission processors and management systems; âmultifunction active sensorâ radars; and electro-optic infrared (EO/IR)-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) subsystems with enhanced cyber and data transmission hardening, the industry notice stated.
The Minotaur FoS programme âis aimed at enhancing the interoperability and effectiveness of [ISR] and targeting capabilities across airborne, afloat, and ashore platformsâ, according to USN FY 2026 budget documents.
The upgraded Minotaur FoS will also feature electronic intelligence (ELINT), signal intelligence (SIGINT), and communications intelligence (COMINT) systems, and EO/IR ISR systems with cyber security (CS) and information assurance (IA) hardening.
USN officials requested USD5.1 million for upgrades to the Minotaur FoS as part of its FY 2026 budget blueprint.
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