RESTON and HERNDON, Va., Sept. 11, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Montgomery County, Md., went live this summer with one of the nation's most sophisticated emergency communications systems, designed, integrated and implemented by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC). The county's new public safety communications system includes an 800-megahertz voice radio system and the public safety data system (PSDS), as well as the interfaces between the two systems.
Northrop Grumman's Mission Systems sector is the prime integrator under this $70 million, eight-year contract awarded in 1997. Northrop Grumman's Information Technology (IT) sector provided most of the key software applications that comprise the public safety data system.
"The Northrop Grumman team has worked jointly with county personnel to make this a first-class public safety system," said Greg Poldy, director of Public Safety and Transportation, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems sector. "We are proud of the excellent individual and group contributions made by our employees and the county to bring this project to fruition. Northrop Grumman's extensive experience in integrating emergency communications systems across the country is a contributing factor to the successful implementation of this project."
Mission Systems managed the integration and testing of the following PSDS systems:
-- Computer-aided dispatch (CAD)
-- Mapping subsystem
-- Automatic vehicle location
-- Mobile data communications subsystem
-- Mobile data gateway (message switch)
-- Local area network/wide area network
-- Mobile subscriber equipment (MSE) -- vehicle mounting and
communications equipment required to support mobile computers and
radio equipment operations. MSE includes equipment such as global
positioning system equipment, vehicular radio modems and antennas.
-- Approximately 1400 in-vehicle mobile computers equipped with
mobile computer client software that provides in-vehicle data
system capabilities, including CAD dispatches as well as access to
the Maryland Interagency Law Enforcement System and the National
Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, along with car-to-car
messaging.
Northrop Grumman IT designed, installed, tested and trained Montgomery County staff on the applications that comprise the core of the PSDS. These applications include computer-aided dispatch, mapping and automatic vehicle location.
Northrop Grumman's other partner on the project, Motorola, designed and installed the 800-megahertz voice radio communication system and the mobile data communications system for the PSDS.
The Montgomery County Police Department, Sheriff's Office and Fire & Rescue Services will be the primary users of the new public safety system. These systems will also support other local and federal jurisdictions and agencies such as the City of Rockville Police Department, Gaithersburg Police Department, Chevy Chase Village Police Department, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Maryland-National Capital Park Police, National Naval Medical Center, City of Takoma Park Police and others. The new public safety system has received compliments from county officials responsible for providing public safety services to the citizens of Montgomery County.
A future phase of this project will include a records management system and field reporting system, expected to be activated in fall 2004. An alternate facility, the Alternate Emergency Communications Center, also will be established after county construction is completed in 2004 to ensure a redundant capability.
To date, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems has successfully overseen the activation of E-911 systems in several major U.S. cities including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago O'Hare Airport, Los Angeles, San Francisco and a statewide system in Ohio.
Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, based in Reston, Va., is a global integrator of complex, mission-enabling systems and services for defense, intelligence and civil government markets. The sector's technology leadership and expertise spans areas such as strategic systems, including ICBMs; missile defense; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; command and control; technical services; and training.
Northrop Grumman Information Technology, based in Herndon, Va., is a trusted IT leader and premier provider of advanced IT solutions, engineering and business services for government and commercial clients. The company's expertise spans such areas as information systems integration; information technology security; command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR); homeland security; enterprise hardware and software solutions; training and simulation; base and range support; signals intelligence; health informatics; space systems; and specialized scientific, engineering and technical services.
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