EL SEGUNDO, Calif., May 6, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Integrated Systems sector has been awarded an $85.9 million contract by the U.S. Air Force for the next phase of the B-2 radar modernization program, a multiyear effort to design and integrate a new radar antenna on the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
In this phase, Northrop Grumman, the B-2 program prime contractor, will establish specifications and design new and modified components. The company also will perform technical demonstrations to reduce risk in the system level design. The work is scheduled to be completed in August 2004.
The radar modernization effort consists of replacing the B-2's current radar antenna with a Ku-band active electronically scanned array antenna. The new antenna resolves potential conflicts in radio frequency usage between the B-2 and commercial satellite systems that also use the Ku-band spectrum. Installation of the new antenna on the B-2 fleet is scheduled to be completed by the end of the decade.
Northrop Grumman's work on the radar modernization program began in October 2002 with a $34.2 million contract for the first phase. The program is estimated to be worth more than $900 million to the company through 2010. The company's B-2 work is based in Palmdale, Calif.
Raytheon Company's Space and Airborne Systems in El Segundo, Calif., which provided the original B-2 radar, is the principal subcontractor to Northrop Grumman on the radar modernization program.
Northrop Grumman's B-2 program is managed by Integrated Systems' Air Combat Systems business area. Headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., Integrated Systems is a premier aerospace and defense systems integration enterprise with the capabilities to design, develop, produce and support fully missionized integrated systems and subsystems. Integrated Systems delivers best-value solutions, products and services in support of chosen segments within the broad market areas of battlespace awareness, command and control systems and integrated combat systems.