MELBOURNE, Fla., April 25, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) delivered the 13th E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft to the U.S. Air Force today, more than five weeks ahead of schedule.
This is the third aircraft in the Block 20 configuration, which provides integrated 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. Northrop Grumman has also started upgrading the first 10 aircraft delivered to the Air Force to the Block 20 configuration, the first of which was completed in February.
Joint STARS offers battlefield commanders real-time access to situational data, while simultaneously transmitting crucial information to aircraft and ground troops. Joint STARS is the only platform in the U.S. arsenal that provides wide-area 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.
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 Systems facility in Lake Charles, La. The Joint STARS radar and the computer systems are installed here, where the team completes work on the production aircraft with ground- and flight-testing. Northrop Grumman also provides support to the user under a Total System Support Responsibility (TSSR) contract. The TSSR effort is a unique partnership between the company 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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