SAN DIEGO, May 6, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Space Technology sector today announced that it has selected Marconi Selenia Communications S.p.A. to supply the backup radio for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program.
Northrop Grumman Space Technology is developing the F-35 advanced communications, navigation and identification (CNI) avionics suite under contract to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. The backup radio provides emergency voice communication capability for the CNI system.
"We chose Marconi Selenia Communications through a competitive process and we believe this selection represents a best value to the program," said Frank Flores, JSF program director, Radio Systems, Northrop Grumman Space Technology. "Marconi Selenia Communications presented a proposal for a solution that was affordable and fully compliant to program requirements."
"Northrop Grumman's selection process demonstrates F-35 program commitment to international participation with our partner countries," added Mike Cosentino, director of Joint Strike Fighter International Programs, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. "This is important as F-35 development activities continue."
Northrop Grumman's integrated CNI avionics feature modular, software-programmable radios that simultaneously carry out numerous tasks and dynamically reconfigure functionalities. The F-35 CNI package includes advanced capabilities such as friend-or-foe identification of approaching aircraft, automatic acquisition of fly-to points and secure multiwave, multiband, multimode wireless communications.
The F-35 is a stealthy, supersonic multirole fighter designed to replace a wide range of aging fighter and strike aircraft. Three variants derived from a common design will ensure the F-35 meets the performance needs of the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy and allied defense forces worldwide, while staying within strict affordability targets.
Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 in conjunction with its principal partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. In addition to Northrop Grumman Space Technology, the F-35 development team includes Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems, which is responsible for the center fuselage section, and Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, which provides the fire control radar and, in partnership with Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, the electro-optical distributed aperture system and the electro-optical targeting system. Northrop Grumman's Information Technology sector provides system and software engineering support for the mission planning system.
Northrop Grumman Space Technology's Radio Systems is providing the integrated CNI avionics for all next-generation manned military aircraft. Northrop Grumman Space Technology is a leader in the development of space systems and payloads for environmental, space science, communications and military applications.
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