Northrop Grumman Highlights State-of-the-Art Maritime Systems at Euronaval 2010

Northrop Grumman Corporation will display a wide array of its state-of-the-art ship and marine navigation, airborne mine countermeasures, mission modularity systems and other capabilities and products at the international naval defence exhibition, Euronaval 2010 in Paris.

Euronaval 2010 will be held at the Paris-Le-Bourget exhibition centre from 25 to 29 October 2010 and includes the maritime sector and those industrial activities associated with state actions at sea.

"The challenges faced at sea demand solutions that increase awareness of the maritime domain," said Dave Perry, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman's Naval & Marine Systems Division. "With our expertise in design, development and production of navigation and control systems, radar systems, airborne surveillance, and mine countermeasures, Northrop Grumman is an industry leader at using innovative technology to counter increasingly sophisticated sea-based threats." 

Highlighted will be Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine's latest generation of navigation, ship control and radar technology.

The company's VisionMaster FT and warship electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) will be on display configured to demonstrate how the system is able to provide effective operational support required for watchkeeping and command teams on smaller vessels. VisionMaster FT provides a highly integrated fully networked suite of marine radar and electronic charting systems designed to form the backbone of the modern ship's integrated bridge.

Other capabilities which will be highlighted are the maritime domain awareness (MDA) coastal surveillance system and the new SeaGuard XBCR x-band coherent radar for small target detection and situational awareness.

Navigation systems on show will include Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine's new MK39 Mod 4 ring laser gyro (RLG) inertial navigation system for naval vessels. The MK 39 Mod 4 RLG provides the same high accuracy geographic position information, with or without GPS, and precise attitude heading data of its predecessors but in a smaller, more cost effective unit.

Northrop Grumman's world leading capabilities in airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) will also be featured including the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye programme has enhanced the E-2 mission system with new more powerful avionics providing continuous 360-degree scanning capability to detect, track and defeat cruise missile threats at extended range.

Northrop Grumman's airborne surveillance capability will be highlighted with a model of the MQ-8B Fire Scout, the vertical unmanned aircraft system (VUAS) multi-role UAV currently under development with the US Navy for littoral intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

Northrop Grumman's airborne mine countermeasures programmes will be highlighted with a display of the AN/AES-1 airborne laser mine detection system (ALMDS).

The Northrop Grumman ALMDS, in low rate initial production for the US Navy, is an airborne mine countermeasures, wide area surveillance system, designed to detect, classify and localize floating and near-surface moored sea mines. ALMDS uses its pulsed laser light and streak-tube receivers, day or night to image in 3-D, the entire near-surface of the ocean. The system is housed in a pod that is mounted on the port side of an MH-60S helicopter. ALMDS is a key component of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Mission Package. Northrop Grumman is the LCS Mission Package Integrator for the US Navy.

Related to that, Northrop Grumman will be discussing mission modularity concepts, some of which are derived from the US Navy LCS Mission Package concept for potential application for other navies. A model of the MCM Mission Module will be on display.

The Modularity Concept and derived Mission Packages offer a truly transformational option for naval forces that require the flexibility provided by a modular system. Mission Packages and Mission Modules can be adapted to meet specific mission needs. NATO is currently examining mission modularity architecture for the design, installation and operation of modular mission equipment packages for humanitarian and disaster relief, anti-piracy and harbour defence missions.

Northrop Grumman has offices across Europe including: Freiburg and Hamburg, Germany; Pomezia, Italy; Paris, France; Brussels, Belgium; Oslo, Norway; and at locations across the UK.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.