WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., July 6, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Pilots of two U.S. Navy helicopters will benefit from improved situational awareness and navigation capabilities through cockpit displays and inertial navigation systems to be provided by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC).
Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), the prime contractor on this program, awarded equipment contracts for the MH-60R and MH-60S multimission helicopters to Northrop Grumman's Navigation Systems Division. Developed by Lockheed Martin for the Navy's MH-60 program, the all-glass common cockpit provides advanced avionic enhancements for increased safety and pilot versatility, while minimizing ownership costs and training requirements.
These multiyear contracts could have a potential value of more than $100 million over the next five years. The cockpit displays and LN-100G inertial navigation systems will be assembled at the company's Salt Lake City facility.
"The all-glass design of these cockpits integrate the latest technologies in avionics equipment," said Alexis Livanos, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman's Navigation Systems Division. "The Northrop Grumman multifunction displays will improve a pilot's situational awareness by incorporating the functionality of a number of discrete instruments and gauges currently in each helicopter into the display system."
Northrop Grumman was awarded the initial display-design and qualification contract in 1997, which led to the development of the all-glass common cockpit. The Navy certified the common cockpit in 2001.
Available in a variety of interface and global positioning system (GPS) configurations, the LN-100G navigation system combines inertial navigation and GPS features to provide attitude, heading, velocity and precise aircraft position. The LN-100G system uses standard embedded GPS modules and is positioned to support current GPS.
"Customer hardware and software modifications to the LN-100G system are supported by available card slots which accept a variety of interface modules," said Trey Endt, Navigation System's program manager for the MH-60 program. "The adaptability of the LN-100G to customer requirements is a key reason this system was chosen for new aircraft and aircraft retrofit applications."
LN-100 technology has been applied to aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, launch vehicles, missiles, fighter jets, helicopters and unmanned underwater vehicles. The LN-100G is used on both U.S. and international aircraft including the F/A-18 and EA-6B and has been selected by more than 70 customers worldwide.
Northrop Grumman's Navigation Systems Division, part of Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector, supplies situational-awareness products for international and domestic defense and commercial markets and offers integrated avionics, navigation and positioning systems for space and high-value platform products, navigation-grade and tactical-grade inertial systems, fiber-optic gyro systems designed to customer requirements, underwater fiber-optic sensors, identification friend-or-foe transponders and interrogators, cockpit displays and computers, and logistic support products and services.
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