Northrop Grumman Powers U.S. and Allied Forces at Valiant Shield 2026

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - July 2, 2026 - U.S. and allied forces operated with a clear and complete view of the Valiant Shield 2026 exercise battlespace thanks to Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) connected sensors, command and control systems and weapons.

The biennial, U.S. Pacific Command-led exercise was held across the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Hawaii, Guam and Japan, June 22 - July 1. The field-training exercise focused on enhancing force readiness across the region by having multi-national forces practice operating together across sea, air, space, land and cyber domains.

Northrop Grumman's proven systems integrate to create a multi-domain, networked infrastructure. This network enables faster, data-driven decision making for commanders and their forces.

Expert:

Steve O'Bryan, corporate vice president, Northrop Grumman: "Northrop Grumman systems are battle tested and ready now. They are relied upon in combat because they consistently deliver the capabilities and options warfighters need to win. Our team is developing capabilities to outmatch emerging threats, too. Our investments to develop new capabilities help to ensure continued success for the Joint Force."

E-2D Hawkeye from USS George Washington (CVN 73) takes off during a live-fire sinking exercise in the Philippine Sea as part of Valiant Shield 2026. (Photo Credit: U.S. Navy)

Featured Programs in Valiant Shield 2026:

• B-2 Spirit: The Pacific Air Forces successfully conducted a live-fire Sinking Exercise using the B-2 Spirit north of the Mariana Islands. The B-2 deployed the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, demonstrating enhanced ability to achieve strategic objectives within range of potential threats.
• E-2D Advanced Hawkeye: An international virtual E-2D performed airborne command and control (C2) for the live virtual portion of Valiant Shield, in coordination with other ground based C2 nodes, demonstrating the value of international interoperability for INDOPACOM.
• F-35: In addition to traditional strike-fighter mission sets, F-35 squadrons equipped with advanced Northrop Grumman systems and sensors, provided situational awareness and electronic warfare support to suppress enemy air defenses. Acting as the aircraft's eyes and ears in the sky, F-35 sensors collected information and shared with joint command and control networks, enabling faster, more coordinated responses across the battlespace.
• Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS): IBCS - a command and fire control system - successfully integrated with Standard Missile-6 and Standard Missile-3 to support the defense of Guam. This integration ensures continued defense capabilities if primary options are unavailable and builds on recent live fire and simulated exercises.
• Maritime Targeting Cell (MTC): The MTC system integrated and fused data from multiple sources to support Over-The-Horizon targeting, enabling engagement of targets at range well beyond the visible horizon.
• MQ-4C Triton: Triton provided high altitude, long-endurance maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Forces, overseeing entire maritime theaters over its 24-hour missions.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers' toughest problems, our employees define possible every day.