Northrop Grumman to supply radar systems to U.S. Navy

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Sperry Marine business unit has been awarded a contract to supply navigation radar systems for eight new U.S. Navy nuclear attack submarines. The firm, fixed-price contract, valued at $20.9 million, was awarded to Sperry Marine by Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C. The contract calls for Sperry Marine to produce and deliver eight AN/BPS-16(v)5 radar sets to be installed on eight Virginia-class Block III submarines. The scope of work will include manufacturing, fabrication, assembly and testing. The AN/BPS-16(v)5 is an advanced submarine navigation radar and electronic navigation system, which provides naval electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS-N) capability running on Sperry Marine's Voyage Management System (VMS) software. "The AN/BPS-16(v)5 with VMS software will permit the new submarines to be certified to use ECDIS-N as their primary navigation tool," said J. Nolasco DaCunha, vice president of Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine. "With this contract, the submarine community continues to make rapid progress toward the U.S. Navy's goal of converting the entire fleet to ECDIS-N". The Virginia-class Block III submarines are being built by Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Electric Boat. The lead submarine in the Block III build, North Dakota (SSN 784), is scheduled to be delivered in 2014.