BALTIMORE, Feb. 16, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) Electronic Systems sector, acting through its international contracting affiliate the Northrop Grumman Overseas Service Corporation, Thales and ADI have signed a memorandum of understanding to offer an integrated combat-management system solution (ICMS), including naval combat management, command and control, command support and integration for amphibious ships. The near-term objective of the team is the proposed JP 2048 Amphibious Ships program for the Australian Defense Department as well as other potential opportunities.
ICMS is an open system architecture based on the Thales TACTICOS CMS family that is currently installed onboard more than 80 naval ships across 11 countries.
The team's ICMS integrates all shipboard sensors and compiles an air, surface, and subsurface tactical picture, enables the commanding officer to make effective, time-critical decisions, and performs target engagement.
Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems is a leading developer of naval mission systems consisting of command support and command and control systems, naval C4ISR architectures; naval systems engineering, integration and test; communications systems design and integration; and naval radar systems design production.
Thales, developer of the TACTICOS Combat Management System, has extensive expertise in the design and development of the combat management and near-real-time segments of combat management systems; naval system engineering, integration and testing; and naval radar and naval surveillance systems including associated integration and test.
ADI is one of Australia's premier shipbuilders, and has developed systems such as ADACS (Australian Distributed Architecture Combat System) and Llama Cheetah (C4ISR-system) for the Royal Australian Navy. ADI has extensive expertise in shipbuilding, command and control systems, and combat support systems. The company is owned in a 50/50 joint venture by Transfield Holdings of Australia and Thales.
Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of defense and commercial electronics and systems including airborne radar, navigation systems, electronic countermeasures, precision weapons, airspace management systems, communications systems, space systems, marine and naval systems, government systems, and logistics services.
Thales is a world leader in professional electronics in three key markets: Aerospace, Defence and Information Technology & Services. The Group employs 63,000 people in nearly 50 countries worldwide and generated revenues of more than Euro 11 billion in 2002, of which 75% was on international markets.