SAN DIEGO, May 5, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a contractor logistics support (CLS) contract for its MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff and Landing Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VTUAV) program. The award is valued at $5 million the first year, with options for three additional years that will total $19 million, and is the first step to a long term MQ-8B Fire Scout maintenance program.
The CLS award establishes the Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems sector's Moss Point, Miss., Unmanned Systems facility as a service center for MQ-8B Fire Scout's maintenance and periodic upgrades. The contract also includes operational and maintenance training.
"The MQ-8B VTUAV System Support Services Contract is another significant milestone toward the transition of the program from system design and development to production and the commencement of its naval operational career. This logistics services contract continues a long term relationship between Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy," said Mark Krukowski, Fire Scout Product Support Integrated Project Team Lead for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems.
The MQ-8B Fire Scout program will soon undergo Operational Evaluation (OpEval) and eventually achieve operational status in the fleet later this year. Test flights and OpEval on the USS McInerney are part of the U.S. Navy's risk reduction plan for the VTUAV program in anticipation of eventual test and deployment onboard the Littoral Combat Ship.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.