Northrop Grumman Awarded Shipboard

The crews of U.S. and allied navy surface ships using the AN/UPX-24(V) shipboard interrogator will continue to benefit from secure, positive identification of cooperative aircraft through a contract for ten interrogator sets from Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE: NOC) Navigation Systems Division. The UPX-24 is a long established product that operates as part of a shipboard identification, friend or foe (IFF) system, accepting interrogation and control commands from, and providing target reports or replies to, a shipboard weapons system. The system provides target data to the ship's command, control, communications, computer and intelligence system through a digital interface, and generates antenna and interrogation commands in response to requests for priority target identification. Since the mid-1970s, the UPX-24 has been operational aboard the CG 47 Ticonderoga-class Aegis cruisers, the DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyers, and the LHD 1 Wasp-class amphibious assault ships. "This award affirms our commitment to provide critical identification capabilities to support our fleet and allies," said Dr. Alexis C. Livanos, vice president and general manager of the Navigation Systems Division. "The UPX-24 is part of our IFF family of products that also includes the UPX-39, which offers additional IFF capabilities and occupies less space." Under the terms of the $14 million contract, the Navigation Systems Division will supply its UPX-24 interrogator system between now and October 2005. The Navigation Systems Division supplies situational awareness products for international and domestic defense and commercial markets and offers integrated avionics, navigation and positioning systems for space and high-value platform products, navigation-grade and tactical-grade inertial systems, fiber-optic gyro systems designed to customer requirements, underwater fiber-optic sensors, identification friend or foe transponders and interrogators, cockpit displays and computers, and logistic support products and services. The Navigation Systems Division is part of the company's Baltimore, Md.-based Electronic Systems sector, a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of defense and commercial electronics and systems including airborne radar, navigation systems, electronic countermeasures, precision weapons, air traffic control systems, air defense systems, communications systems, space systems, marine and naval systems, government systems and logistics services.