Northrop Grumman Awarded Tech Maturation Contract for Next Generation Jammer

Northrop Grumman Awarded Tech Maturation Contract for Next Generation Jammer
July 20, 2010

BETHPAGE, N.Y. – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a $41.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to mature technologies it has proposed for the U.S. Navy's Next Generation Jammer airborne electronic attack system development. This is for the Technology Maturation phase of the program. Work on this 21-month effort begins immediately.

The Navy is developing the Next Generation Jammer to field a system that can electronically attack the advanced electronics being developed by other nations' militaries and the commercially available electronics that terrorists regularly use to communicate, coordinate operations and adapt as weapons. The jammer must be capable of countering anticipated and unanticipated electronic threats.

"I'm very proud of the technical work we did on our proposal. We're excited to have won this award and to get started bringing our technologies to life for our customer," said Steve Hogan, vice president, Information Operations and Electronic Attack.

"Developing airborne electronic attack systems is a unique business," Hogan said. "Successful full-system development depends on having broad electronic battlefield combat knowledge and fresh, new ideas. Northrop Grumman has delivered integrated airborne electronic systems successfully for over 40 years and we continue to be a leader in this critical technology."

The Next Generation Jammer is to replace the ALQ-99 jammer that is now on the Navy and Marine EA-6B Prowlers and Navy EA-18G Growlers. The ALQ-99 is a 1970s technology subsystem. While still effective, it is becoming increasingly hard to maintain and inadaptable to countering new threats and so limits the capabilities of the Navy's advanced new Improved Capability III receiver now on Prowlers and Growlers.

Many companies are involved in various aspects of electronic warfare and even build some specific components. "While Northrop Grumman's Next Generation Jammer concept contains our own patented technology, it is our unique experience that allows us to best understand the complexity required to integrate these technologies into an aircraft weapon system, and minimize cost and risk in the process," said Hogan.

During the course of the contract, Northrop Grumman will continue to refine and mature these technologies in anticipation of the Technology Development phase of the Navy's program, which is expected to start in 2011.

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