|
January 4, 6:35 EST
BETHPAGE, N.Y. -- Officials at the U.S. Navy recently chose Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector's Airborne Early Warning and Electronic Warfare (AEW & EW) Systems business unit to develop a new radar for the E-2C Hawkeye Radar Modernization Program (RMP).
The radar work is part of a $49 million Pre-Systems Development and Demonstration (Pre-SD&D) contract, Northrop Grumman officials say. The contract is the first step in what is approximately a $1 billion development effort to deliver early warning and battle management capabilities by the end of the decade and is expected to lead to a multibillion-dollar program for production of this next-generation Advanced Hawkeye, company officials say.
"Our military is transforming itself for the new world environment," says Philip A. Teel, AEW & EW Systems vice president for Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems. "Real-time information will be one of the war fighters' primary tools and networks will be the major force multiplier. The Navy's primary airborne node in its future network-centric structure will be the Advanced Hawkeye which results from this Radar Modernization Program."
The RMP Pre-SD&D effort will advance the design of the E-2C mission system, which has been researched by Integrated Systems over the past several years, Northrop Grumman officials say. Under the 12-month Pre-SD&D contract, Integrated Systems will define the physical architecture of the next-generation E-2C mission system, produce the preliminary weapon system specification, and provide associated program plans.
The development program will integrate a number of new capabilities into the aircraft's new airborne early warning and control system. The Hawkeye 2000 radar system now in production will be replaced with a new, solid-state, electronically steered UHF radar, Northrop Grumman officials say.
This next-generation Hawkeye will also have theater missile defense capabilities. Other improvements will include a tactical cockpit giving the co-pilot the capability to function as a fourth mission system operator; a new communications suite; new generators; improved identification friend or foe system; and an updated mission computer and software, company officials say.
The development program will also target reducing production and operations and support costs. The full SD&D program contract is expected to be awarded at the end of next year, Northrop Grumman officials say.
Major system teammates include Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems in Syracuse, N.Y.; Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems in Baltimore, Md.; Raytheon Co. in El Segundo, Calif.; BAE Systems in Greenlawn, N.Y.; and L-3 Communications Randtron Antenna Systems in Menlo Park, Calif.
For more information contact Northrop Grumman on the World Wide Web at http://www.northropgrumman.com.
Military & Aerospace Electronics
| 
Community 
| View all PennWell sites | View all PennWell events
Add RSS Feed