U.S. Navy Orders Next Generation Handheld Targeting Systems for $252M

The U.S. Navy awarded Northrop Grumman $252 million for Next Generation Targeting Handheld System (NGHTS).

The effort includes low-rate initial production, full-rate production, testing, spare parts, engineering services, logistics support, training and documentation, a U.S. DoD release today said.

Work is expected to be completed by February 2030.

The contract is a follow-on to the NGHTS Other Transaction Authority (OTA) Agreement prototyping effort, awarded in September 2018. The OTAs were awarded to BAE Systems, Elbit Systems of America, Fraser Optics and Northrop Grumman.

The NGHTS is a single, lightweight, man-portable system that enables Marines to quickly acquire targets; perform guidance against targets; and generate target location data during combat operations.

The military currently uses four legacy systems: the Portable Lightweight Designator Rangefinder, Joint Terminal Attack Controller, Laser Target Designator and Thermal Laser Spot Imager. The intent is for NGHTS to replace three of the legacy systems.