Northrop Grumman Awarded Contract to Develop Navigation System for the U.S. Navy's Super Hornet and Growler Aircraft

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Sept. 20, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a competitive prototyping contract by The Boeing Company to develop an embedded global positioning/inertial navigation system (EGI) for the U.S. Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft.
Under the contract, Northrop Grumman will produce a prototype inertial navigation system demonstrating fiber-optic gyro performance suitability for F/A-18 E/F and EA-18G Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) needs. JPALS is a next-generation aircraft landing system that will utilize Global Positioning System (GPS) data and replace radar-based systems.
As one of two contractors selected, Northrop Grumman will focus on integration risk reduction, including meeting specific system requirements and maximizing performance toward a JPALS-compatible navigation subsystem. Boeing is expected to down-select to a single supplier for system production. The chosen company will conduct a five-year Engineering and Manufacturing Development program and provide the inertial navigation system for all Super Hornet and Growler aircraft, with an estimated 500 EGIs to be produced for the program.
"Our proprietary fiber-optic gyro technology can be scaled for varying needs and applications, including the demands of a cutting-edge inertial navigation system for the Super Hornet and Growler aircraft," said Gorik Hossepian, vice president of navigation and positioning systems for Northrop Grumman.
The all-weather F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is the U.S. Navy's premier fighter/attack aircraft that is capable of performing numerous missions, including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions.
The EA-18G Growler, currently being delivered to the Navy, will be the cornerstone of the naval Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) mission. Derived from the F/A-18F aircraft, the EA-18G incorporates advanced AEA avionics, bringing transformational capability for suppression of enemy air defenses and nontraditional electronic attack operations.
JPALS is an all-weather, anti-jam approach and landing system based on local area differential GPS. Developed by the Navy, JPALS works with GPS to provide accurate, reliable landing guidance for fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft and supports fixed-base, tactical and shipboard applications. Northrop Grumman provides the inertial measurement unit for the shipboard-relative GPS set in the JPALS program.
Northrop Grumman has extensive experience in precision navigation solutions, including the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's Automated Aerial Refueling (AAR) program that is exploring autonomous refueling methods for unmanned aircraft. Northrop Grumman will leverage state-of-the-art Relative Navigation software algorithms developed for the AAR program when creating a JPALS-compliant system, ensuring that the Navy has a viable landing solution for its future advanced fighter aircraft.

Source :  Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman to Improve Performance of MEMS Inertial Sensors for DARPA

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Sept. 24, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a subcontract from the University of California, Irvine to help address the long-term calibration of inertial sensors. Inertial sensors, which measure rotation rate and acceleration, are used in a variety of navigation, pointing and stabilization applications. Currently, micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) inertial instruments are vulnerable to long-term instabilities that cause bias and scale-factor drift, which contribute to measurement inaccuracies. Under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Primary and Secondary Calibration on Active Layer (PASCAL) effort of the Micro-Technology for Positioning, Navigation and Timing (Micro-PNT) program, Northrop Grumman and the University of California, Irvine will develop an integrated, ultra-miniaturized microsystem (gyroscope and accelerometer) with in-situ calibration capabilities co- located with the inertial sensing elements. In-situ calibration of inertial devices eliminates the need for components to be recalled from the field for recalibration by the manufacturer and then reinserted into the platform, thereby minimizing the life cycle costs of the system. Additionally, full or mini calibration can be performed just prior to a platform's launch, offering greater flexibility and an opportunity to compensate for aging effects prior to an instrument's use. "This microsystem development represents a significant step forward in the ability to continuously calibrate MEMS inertial sensors, bypassing the need for calibration after dormant periods," said Charles Volk, vice president and chief technology officer at Northrop Grumman. "Not only may this research help to advance sensor technology and accuracy, but it may also lead to increased affordability." DARPA's Microsystems Technology Office, which administers the PASCAL effort, promotes state-of-the-art technology in the component and microsystems areas. The PASCAL effort is part of the Micro-PNT program that aims to develop technology for self-contained, chip-scale inertial navigation and precision guidance.

Source :  Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman to Provide Shipboard Interrogator Sets for U.S. Navy

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Sept. 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has awarded a firm-fixed-price contract to Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) for the fabrication, testing and delivery of AN/UPX-24(V) interrogator sets.
Under the nearly $11.5 million follow-on production contract, Northrop Grumman will provide five AN/UPX-24(V) identification friend or foe (IFF) processor sets in an open-architecture configuration to enhance the situational awareness and threat identification capabilities of naval ships.
As a core component of the AN/UPX-29(V) shipboard interrogator system, the AN/UPX-24(V) interrogator set is a major subsystem that provides a centralized identification system for ships by determining whether aircraft or ships equipped with IFF transponders are friendly or unknown forces.
"This contract builds upon the strong relationship that Northrop Grumman has built with NAVAIR through many years of providing the AN/UPX-24(V)," said Ike Song, vice president of situational awareness systems at Northrop Grumman. "These new sets will augment the Navy's defenses, providing greater protection for our men and women at sea."
The AN/UPX-24(V) quickly and accurately identifies friendly aircraft, helping to prevent fratricide. The system provides target data to the ship's command, control, communications, computer and intelligence system, and generates interrogation commands in response to requests for priority target identification. The AN/UPX-24(V) accepts transponder replies and provides target reports to a shipboard weapon system. Each AN/UPX-24(V) consists of a control monitor, a central processor-controller and up to 22 control indicators.
Northrop Grumman has supplied the AN/UPX-24(V) system for Navy missile cruisers, destroyers, amphibious assault ships and aircraft carriers since 1979. Under the new contract, production system deliveries for Aegis combat ships are expected in the first quarter of 2014.


Source:  Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman to Provide 44 Additional STARLite Radar Systems for the U.S. Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., Sept. 20, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been selected to supply an additional 44 STARLite wide area surveillance radars for the U.S. Army's MQ-1C Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system. STARLite features synthetic aperture radar, ground moving target indicator and dismount moving target indicator capabilities.
Under the terms of the contract option, radar deliveries will begin in April 2013 and conclude in March 2014. This order will bring the total number of systems under contract to 174.
"This order reaffirms the Army's confidence in STARLite's exceptional reliability, which has far exceeded specifications during its deployment," said Steve McCoy, vice president for tactical sensor solutions at Northrop Grumman. "STARLite's record of performance means warfighters on the ground can count on it to provide the airborne intelligence they need in critical situations."
Northrop Grumman's AN/ZPY-1 STARLite (Small Tactical Radar – Lightweight) is the Army radar program of record for the MQ-1C Gray Eagle, and has also been demonstrated on the Army's Persistent Threat Detection Systems aerostat. STARLite has taken part in digital interoperability demonstrations at Camp Roberts in California, showcasing its ability to share data across a network and cue non-collated sensors. Weighing just 65 pounds, the radar system is ideal for equipping a variety of manned and unmanned aircraft system platforms for mission-critical tactical reconnaissance. The system is capable of conducting all-weather, wide-area surveillance and detecting stationary, dismounted and moving targets.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

Source : Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman to Provide 44 Additional STARLite Radar Systems for the U.S. Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., Sept. 20, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been selected to supply an additional 44 STARLite wide area surveillance radars for the U.S. Army's MQ-1C Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system. STARLite features synthetic aperture radar, ground moving target indicator and dismount moving target indicator capabilities.
Under the terms of the contract option, radar deliveries will begin in April 2013 and conclude in March 2014. This order will bring the total number of systems under contract to 174.
"This order reaffirms the Army's confidence in STARLite's exceptional reliability, which has far exceeded specifications during its deployment," said Steve McCoy, vice president for tactical sensor solutions at Northrop Grumman. "STARLite's record of performance means warfighters on the ground can count on it to provide the airborne intelligence they need in critical situations."
Northrop Grumman's AN/ZPY-1 STARLite (Small Tactical Radar – Lightweight) is the Army radar program of record for the MQ-1C Gray Eagle, and has also been demonstrated on the Army's Persistent Threat Detection Systems aerostat. STARLite has taken part in digital interoperability demonstrations at Camp Roberts in California, showcasing its ability to share data across a network and cue non-collated sensors. Weighing just 65 pounds, the radar system is ideal for equipping a variety of manned and unmanned aircraft system platforms for mission-critical tactical reconnaissance. The system is capable of conducting all-weather, wide-area surveillance and detecting stationary, dismounted and moving targets.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

Source : Northrop Grumman

Global Hawk Update

Air Force Gives Block 30 Global Hawk Another Year - UPDATED

 

[UPDATED with Lt. Gen. James comment] WASHINGTON: Northrop Grumman is in talks with the the Air Force to keep the service's 18 "Block 30" Global Hawks flying through at least September 2013, AOL Defense has learned. That's a win for Northrop and its backers in Congress over Air Force budgeteers who wanted to ground the long-range drones.

The service's 2013 budget plan would have mothballed the Block 30 variant of the Global Hawk to save money, arguing that the venerable U-2 spyplane could better meet theater commanders' needs for reconnaissance. (Other Global Hawk variants with different capabilities, Block 20 and Block 40, were never in question). That idea was resoundingly rejected by Congress -- and quietly questioned by some in the military who appreciated the Block 30's capabilities, including much longer flight times than any manned aircraft could endure. So, in his confirmation hearings, new Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh told Senators that the drones would continue to operate. But Northrop Grumman's existing contract to support Block 30 operations around the world was set to expire at the end of this month.

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Northrop Grumman Looking To Enhance AESA Radar

Northrop Grumman Sees AESA Radar Technology Enhancing Affordability

 

ARLINGTON, Va. - Active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar technology will be key to affordability in current and future radar systems, a Northrop Grumman officials says.
Speaking to reporters Sept. 10 at the National Press Club in Washington, Pat Antkowiak, vice president and general manager of the company's Advanced Concepts and Technology Division, said the investment in thousands of APG-81 AESA radars being built for the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter will lower the cost of other radars in smaller production quantities, such as the future Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) for Navy destroyers.
AESA radars, with mechanically scanned antennas replaced by fixed-array agile-beam transmit/receive (T/R) modules, offer higher reliability, wider bandwidth, instantaneous bandwidth expansion and simultaneous multimode operation. AESA radars are easily scalable, allowing the same technology to equip antennas from large shipboard radars to pods carried on fighter aircraft. 

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