MELBOURNE, Fla., April 3, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- (WITH PHOTO) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has received a $38.4 million contract for advanced procurement of the 17th E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft for the U.S. Air Force.
A photo accompanying this release is available at:http://media.wieck.com/public.html?WIK2002040328147
Refurbishment and conversion work began this week on the former USAF EC-18 Advanced Range Instrumentation Aircraft.
This aircraft will incorporate the Block 20 configuration, which contains commercial off-the-shelf data processing capability. This technology provides the Air Force with increased reliability, advanced technologies and increased processing power, all at a lower cost per aircraft.
Joint STARS offers battlefield commanders real-time access to situational data, while simultaneously transmitting crucial target information to aircraft and ground troops. Joint STARS is the only platform in the U.S. arsenal that provides wide-area ground moving target indicator capability -- combined with synthetic aperture radar imagery -- to dramatically improve command-and-control capabilities and data clarity, as the system locates, classifies and tracks ground targets in all weather conditions from standoff distances.
The contract was awarded by the Air Force's Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.
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.
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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