Northrop Grumman Corp. has begun work on a system development and demonstration contract for an extremely high frequency satellite communications system for the U.S. Air Force’s B-2 stealth bomber, Northrop Grumman announced June 12.

The system is designed to enable the B-2 to send and receive battlefield information up to 100 times faster than its current ultra-high frequency satellite communications system and allow the bomber to connect to the U.S. Department of Defense’s Global Information Grid.

The 62-month contract is valued at $171 million.