Northrop Grumman Receives $79.4 Million Contract for Global Hawk MP-RTIP Sensors


SAN DIEGO, April 22, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has received a $79.4 million contract for Global Hawk Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) sensors as the first element of the lot 7 production contract. An initial $33.89 million has been obligated to begin procurement of three MP-RTIP sensors.

The sensors will be carried on the RQ-4 Block 40 Global Hawk high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial system (UAS) currently in production. The first flight with the MP-RTIP sensor is scheduled in early 2009. The Block 40 Global Hawk is also being considered to provide NATO with an organic capability through the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance program.

"This is an important milestone in our effort to bring this new capability to our men and women in uniform," said Jerry Madigan, Northrop Grumman vice president of HALE systems. "It further demonstrates the flexibility of the Global Hawk platform to accommodate a wide variety of sensors, meeting the warfighter's requirements with air systems that are reliable, affordable and maintainable."

The Global Hawk system celebrated the 10th anniversary of its first flight last month and has logged more than 21,000 total program flight hours, of which more than 16,000 hours were flown in support of the global war on terrorism. The Global Hawk's range, endurance and multi-sensor technology capabilities make it an ideal system to support a variety of customers.

As the world's first fully autonomous HALE UAS providing persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to warfighters, the Global Hawk can fly up to 65,000 feet for more than 35 hours and see through any inclement weather at any time.

The MP-RTIP sensor is a modular active electronically scanned array radar system that can be scaled in size for integration into various airborne platforms.

Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor for the MP-RTIP and Global Hawk programs and continues to move these technologies forward under the stewardship of the Air Force's Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and the Electronic Systems Center, located at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass. Northrop Grumman's Norwalk, Conn., facility is the principal MP-RTIP radar developer along with principal subcontractor, Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, El Segundo, Calif.

The Global Hawk industry team is comprised of world-class companies: Aurora Flight Sciences, Bridgeport, West Va. (V-tail assembly and other composite structures); L-3 Communications, Salt Lake City (communication system); Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems, Falls Church, Va. (ground station); Rolls-Royce Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind. (engine); and Vought Aircraft Industries, Dallas (wing).

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $32 billion global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.



            

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