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February 25, 11:01 EST
BALTIMORE -- Officials at Boeing in Seattle recently chose Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector to supply four Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP) kits for the French Air Force's E-3F Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) fleet. Northrop Grumman will provide most of the RSIP hardware, which will then be installed and tested by other members of the team.
"RSIP represents the most significant upgrade to the French E-3 fleet since its deployment in the early 1990s," says William R. Adams, vice president of Airborne Surveillance Systems at Northrop Grumman. "RSIP will provide the necessary edge the French Air Force will need in future conflicts and increase interoperability with the U.S. Air Force, NATO and United Kingdom AWACS fleets."
The RSIP upgrade enhances the operational capability of the E-3 radar against the growing threat from smaller targets, cruise missiles, and electronic countermeasures, while retaining all of the existing radar system's capabilities, Northrop Grumman officials say. It will also improve the French Air Force's AWACS man-machine interface and operational maintainability, company officials claim.
The RSIP-modified E-3s spotted hostile aircraft and directed allied fighters in numerous successful engagements during NATO's war in Kosovo. The AWACS AN/APY-1/-2 surveillance radar system, designed and built by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, provides the E-3 aircraft's look-down capability, company officials say.
AWACS is designed to detect and track both enemy and friendly aircraft throughout a large volume of airspace, Northrop Grumman officials say. The radar provides full long-range surveillance of high- and low-flying aircraft in all weather conditions and over all types of terrain.
For more information on AWACS and Northrop Grumman contact the company on the World Wide Web at http://www.northropgrumman.com.
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