SACRAMENTO, Calif., March 14, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) recently completed fielding the Guardrail Ground Baseline (GGB) to the First Military Intelligence Battalion at Wiesbaden Army Airfield in Wiesbaden, Germany.
GGB delivers data processing capabilities for signal analyses, and command and control of the Guardrail Common Sensor System. One of GGB's key attributes is a network-based architecture that supports forward garrison operators and/or rear operators via satellite link, as well as cooperative operations with other signals intelligence sensors. The Guardrail system detects, identifies, and locates radar and other types of electronics and modern communications signals.
Each of Guardrail's four operational systems is characterized by unique operational capabilities with tailored training and maintenance requirements. GGB unifies the ground processing and associated training and maintenance by providing a common hardware and software baseline. It significantly improves operations, supportability, deployability and maintenance of Guardrail's ground component through the elimination and upgrade of obsolete equipment.
"In partnership with the Army, we are ensuring that Guardrail continues to operate as an efficient and relevant asset to meet warfighter needs in a rapidly changing environment and in support of the Global War on Terrorism," said Imad Bitar, vice president of Northrop Grumman Mission Systems sector's Electromagnetic Systems Laboratory business unit.
The Wiesbaden fielding is the second of four planned GGB fieldings for Guardrail. The first GGB was fielded in June 2006 to the Third Military Intelligence Battalion at Camp Humphreys in South Korea. The third fielding will take place in 2007 to the 224th Military Intelligence Battalion at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Ga., and the fourth is planned for the 15th Military Intelligence Battalion at Fort Hood, Texas. Enhancements for the fourth fielding are in development with an installation date not yet set.
GGB is the initial step toward migrating Guardrail into the Army's Distributed Common Ground Station (DCGS-A). GGB's current role as a signals intelligence data "supplier" for DCGS-A will evolve to become one of the embedded application packages within the DCGS netcentric enterprise.
The success of the GGB effort is a shared accomplishment of Army Project Manager-Aerial Common Sensors, U.S. Army Intelligence and Signal Command (INSCOM), Northrop Grumman Corporation, L3 Communications-ILEX Systems, CACI Technologies Inc., and L3-Communication Systems West.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $30 billion global defense and technology company whose 122,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.