Microwave Journal
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News from Washington

December 1, 2003

News from Washington


Raytheon Receives $36.9 M Award for F/A 18 Radar Warning Receivers

Raytheon Co. has been awarded a $36.9 M contract for production of its ALR-67 (V) 3 radar warning receiver system for the US Navy. The ALR-67 (V) 3 is the state-of-the-art radar warning receiver on the US Navy F/A 18E/F carrier-based tactical aircraft and recently completed a successful initial deployment in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The production award represents the fifth full rate production lot awarded to Raytheon. Low rate initial production of the system began in June 1998, followed by full rate production (Lot 1) in August 1999. The current award was received from the US Navy's Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD, and calls for the delivery of 30 radar warning receivers. Deliveries of the system under the Lot 5 contract will begin in February 2005 and are expected to be complete by September 2005. The system, designated the AN/ALR-67 (V) 3, provides advanced techniques to detect and identify threat radar emitters, thereby enhancing the survivability of aircraft equipped with the system. A total of 209 radar warning receivers plus spares have now been ordered under the overall production program. Work on the radar warning receiver is being done by the company's Electronic Warfare Systems organization in Goleta, CA, with support provided by facilities in El Segundo, CA, Andover, MA, Forest, MI, and Dallas, TX.

The ALR-67 (V) 3 is designed to enhance the survivability of aircrews by providing situational awareness in today's complex electronic warfare environments. This includes emitter identification, extended capabilities in detection and processing, threat location and potential lethality. Raytheon has packaged the channelized radar warning receiver into an extraordinarily lightweight 100-pound system that is designed to meet the Navy's electronic warfare requirements well into the 21st century.

Lockheed Martin Awarded

$812 M Contract for Sea-based Missile DefenseThe US Navy awarded a $812 M contract to Lockheed Martin for the continued development of the Missile Defense Agency's Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capability. Under the contract, Lockheed Martin is responsible for developing and fielding the sea-based element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System. The contract includes the development and integration of the Aegis Weapon System upgrades, Vertical Launching System upgrades, Command and Control System upgrades, Aegis BMD signal processor efforts and Flight Test support including equipment, computer programs and system engineering required to accomplish the Aegis BMD mission. The work will be performed in Moorestown, NJ, and Baltimore, MD, and is expected to be complete in 2006. The company anticipates approximately 50 to 65 new jobs will be created.

"The US Navy and the Missile Defense Agency have set clear expectations for success of the sea-based missile program," said Fred P. Moosally, president of Lockheed Martin's Maritime Systems and Sensors unit.

The Aegis BMD element of the nation's BMD System will provide the capability for Aegis-equipped cruisers to use hit-to-kill technology to intercept and destroy short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. Additionally, designated Aegis equipped destroyers will be modified to expand the ability of Aegis BMD to provide surveillance and tracking of intercontinental ballistic missiles, and work with other BMD System elements to provide advanced warning for the defense of the nation, deployed US forces and allies. The Aegis Weapon System includes the most powerful and robust naval surface tactical radar in the world, SPY-1. Equally advanced and tightly integrated Weapon Control and Command and Control subsystems support it. When paired with the MK 41 Vertical Launching System, it is capable of delivering missiles for every mission and threat environment in naval warfare. The system is currently deployed on 66 US Navy Aegis equipped ships on station around the globe, and 23 more ships are planned. Aegis is the primary naval weapon system for Japan, it is part of two European ship construction programs, the Spanish F-100 and the Norwegian new frigate, and the Republic of Korea recently selected Aegis for its newest class of destroyers.

Harris Corp. Awarded $7.7 M by Boeing for Sea-based Radar Program

Harris Corp. announced that it was awarded a $7.7 M contract by the Boeing Co., Anaheim, CA, to provide systems engineering, integration services and satellite communications equipment for the US Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) Sea-based X-band (SBX) Radar Program. X-band Radar (XBR) is the tracking and discrimination radar used for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system. "This very important win for Harris will allow us to apply both our commercial satellite communications technology and our proven defense communications system integration expertise," said Bob Henry, senior vice president, Harris Corp., and president, Harris Government Communications Systems Division (GCSD). The SBX radar system will be deployed on a mobile, floating platform. Continuous communications between the platform and shore facilities will be provided via a commercial C-band satellite, using a unique redundant dual-antenna system designed and furnished by Harris Maritime Communications Services (MCS) subsidiary.

Harris MCS provides satellite communications services to cruise ships, remote land-based locations around the world and to data collection sites thousand of meters below the ocean's surface. "We are privileged to have the opportunity to utilize our experience in designing and operating marine-stabilized satellite earth stations in support of this important national defense project," said Dr. Andrew Clark, president of Harris MCS.

Northrop Grumman Selected to Develop Strategic Illuminator Laser

Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Space Technology sector will develop the Strategic Illuminator Laser (SILL) for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), providing a crucial component for systems such as the Airborne Laser (ABL) and future space-based programs. The MDA chose Space Technology for Phase 2 of the next generation of illuminator laser under an $18 M, 12-month contract managed by the US Air Force. The SILL is a four-kilowatt-class, solid-state, pulsed laser with excellent beam quality.

"SILL is the next step toward the generation of high power, pulsed illuminator lasers," said Jackie Gish, director of DE technology for the sector. "Because of SILL's high power, excellent beam quality and environmental specifications, it will yield an enhancement over existing illuminators. We are very pleased and excited about being chosen for this important step." Space Technology performed trade studies and produced a conceptual design for the SILL earlier this year under the contract's phase one. Two other companies also received phase one contracts, but Space Technology was the only one selected for phase two. This phase will demonstrate a full power breadboard and perform design of the flight-qualifiable laser. A third phase will culminate in 2006 with delivery to the government of a rugged, flight-qualifiable laser with a development path for space applications, such as long-range illumination.

The SILL program builds on Space Technology's legacy of delivered solid-state lasers, including the Beacon Illuminator Laser for the ABL and others for the Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The sector delivered a flight-qualified Beacon Illuminator, containing two-kilowatt-class solid-state lasers to the ABL program in 2002. This work, under the SILL contract, supplements Space Technology's work on the Joint High Power Solid-state Laser Program awarded in December 2002, when the sector won a Joint Technology Office and Air Force contract to develop the high power, solid-state laser, a program that will result in demonstration at the end of 2004 of a 25-kilowatt electric-powered laser. Northrop Grumman also specializes in fully militarized, low power lasers, and has produced and fielded more than 25,000 laser systems, including several that have flown in space.