BALTIMORE, Sept. 18, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has successfully established the required baseline for the U.S. Navy to begin the Systems Design and Development (SDD) phase of its next generation Surface Electronic Warfare (EW) Improvement Program (SEWIP). The key performance and technology readiness factors required for this transition were demonstrated during relevant over-water tests of the MFEW (MultiFunction Electronic Warfare) Advanced Development Model at the Navy's Chesapeake Bay facility, and during the recent RIMPAC Fleet operational exercises.
"Our success at the RIMPAC sea trials further validated achievements we made during tests at the Naval Research Laboratory's Chesapeake Bay Detachment that resulted in demonstrating a significant technology readiness level for the Multi-Function Electronic Warfare program," said Mark Kula, vice president of Radio Frequency Combat and Information Systems at Northrop Grumman.
A positive assessment by the Navy of the technology readiness demonstrated by the MFEW system will allow the program to pass its Milestone B decision point and move into SDD for SEWIP Block 2.
"Northrop Grumman has provided the Navy with a valuable asset for risk reduction for both the electronics support upgrade in SEWIP Block 2 and the follow-on Block 3 electronic attack upgrade. We look forward to providing more of these advanced capabilities required to protect the men and women who sail in harm's way for their country," noted Kula.
During the Hawaii-based RIMPAC TAPA II exercise, the Northrop Grumman-led MFEW team successfully demonstrated such key performance factors as precision direction finding, high sensitivity, the ability to rapidly detect and classify advanced threats, and mitigation of shipboard RF interference while onboard the U.S.S. Comstock.
The next step in the Technology Readiness Assessment process will include the return of the MFEW system to the company's Systems Integration Lab, located in Baltimore, to conduct detailed testing of other key performance factors in a controlled environment.
The Office of Naval Research MFEW program was awarded to Northrop Grumman in September 2005.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.