Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Mission System sector was awarded a $181 M contract to continue full-rate production of the ICBM Guidance Replacement Program (GRP), which is upgrading the guidance system electronics in the Minuteman III missile to extend its service through 2020. This is the fourth of eight production awards from the US Air Force ICBM Systems Project Office at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The total value of the GRP Program to the ICBM Prime teams is $1.57 B.
Northrop Grumman's teammate, Boeing Electronic System Missile Defense, Anaheim, CA, produces the missile guidance sets for the GRP. Honeywell Space Systems division, Clearwater, FL, is a major subcontractor to Boeing and provides the system's computer.
In addition to Northrop Grumman's annual sustainment award in October for $135 M, new modernization efforts awarded this year include the Safety Enhanced Reentry Vehicle Program, awarded in April for $170 M, which transfers Peacekeeper reentry vehicles onto the Minuteman III to enhance the safety and maintain reliability of the reentry vehicle; the Rapid Execution and Combat Targeting Service Life Extension Program worth $65 M to upgrade the launch command centers; and the Minuteman Minimum Essential Emergency Communication Network program worth $46 M to upgrade launch control communications.
Prior to the ICBM prime role, Northrop Grumman served as system engineering and technical advisor to the Air Force helping it manage the ICBM fleet for almost 45 years. Under this arrangement, the ICBM System Project Office directed a number of associate contractors that provided various elements of the ICBM system.