MELBOURNE, Fla., Feb. 14, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has delivered the first upgraded E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft to the U.S. Air Force under the Computer Replacement Program (CRP) two weeks ahead of schedule.
This is the first of 10 aircraft being upgraded from the Block 10 configuration to Block 20 with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) data processing capability.
The Block 20 E-8Cs contain COTS technology computers for operating the Joint STARS surveillance equipment. Commercially available computer systems provide the Air Force with increased reliability, advanced technologies and increased processing power, all at a lower cost per aircraft. Each airplane uses systems from Mercury Computer Systems (NASDAQ:MRCY) and Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE:CPQ).
Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector is the prime contractor for the E-8C Joint STARS. Norden Systems, a unit of Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector, manufactures the Joint STARS radar sensor.
Airframe refurbishment and modification takes place at Integrated Systems' Airborne Ground Surveillance and Battle Management (AGS&BM) Systems facility in Louisiana. The Joint STARS radar and the computer systems are installed at AGS&BM Systems' Florida facility, where the team completes work on the production aircraft with ground and flight testing. AGS&BM Systems also provides support to the user under a Total System Support Responsibility (TSSR) contract. The TSSR effort is a unique partnership between Northrop Grumman and the Air Force to provide the most efficient support to the E-8C Joint STARS fleet, maximizing operational availability and mission reliability.
Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is a premier aerospace systems integration enterprise. Integrated Systems has the capabilities to design, develop, integrate, produce and support complete systems, as well as airframe subsystems, for airborne surveillance and battle management, early warning, airborne electronic warfare and air combat aircraft. It is also integrating these capabilities for emerging network-centric warfare concepts.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an $18 billion, global defense company with its worldwide headquarters in Los Angeles. Northrop Grumman provides technologically advanced, innovative products, services and solutions in defense and commercial electronics, systems integration, information technology and nuclear and non-nuclear shipbuilding and systems. With nearly 100,000 employees and operations in 44 states and 25 countries, Northrop Grumman serves U.S. and international military, government and commercial customers.
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