Northrop Grumman To Provide New ISR Capabilities To NATO

Defense conglomerate Northrop Grumman Corporation has signed a $1.7 billion (euro 1.2 billion) contract with NATO for the Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system. Northrop Grumman and its industrial partners joined NATO leadership and 28 ministers of defense from NATO member countries for the signing today in Chicago. The AGS will be a major data source for NATO's system for Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR). Under the contract, Northrop Grumman will provide for the purchase and initial operation and maintenance of five Block 40 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft equipped with an advanced ground surveillance radar sensor -- the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP). "This Alliance Ground Surveillance program has been a major acquisition priority for NATO. This is an historic moment and we are honored to be bringing this vital, leading edge capability to all NATO member nations," said Otfried Wohlleben, NAGSMA Program Manager. "The real-time long-endurance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance that this will provide will be invaluable to NATO forces around the world and the success of their missions". The 13 nations, including Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United States, are expected to participate in the system's acquisition, and all 28 alliance nations are to participate in the long-term support of the program. "Northrop Grumman and our entire trans-Atlantic industry team are proud to be bringing this strategic capability to NATO and its member nations," said Wes Bush, chairman, chief executive officer and president, Northrop Grumman. "It was our collective goal from the start to ensure an affordable and robust capability that will meet the alliance's need for persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to ground, maritime and air commanders, anytime and anywhere in the world. Our team is focused on meeting that commitment". The company's primary industrial team from the 13 nations will include Cassidian, Selex Galileo and KONGSBERG, as well as leading European defense firms ICZ, A.S., ComTrade d.o.o, BIANOR, Technologica, Zavod Za Telefonna Aparatura Ad (ZTA AD), SELEX ELSAG, Elettra Communications, UTI Systems and SES. With its main operating base at Sigonella, Italy, NATO AGS will be co-located with the U.S. Air Force Global Hawks and the U.S. Navy Broad Area Maritime Surveillance unmanned aircraft systems, further advancing synergies across the three programs in operational capability, life cycle logistics and sustainment.