Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a contract to perform a study for the United Kingdom's Maritime Airborne Surveillance and Control (MASC) program. This study will concentrate on a manned rotary-wing solution for MASC, which will provide the future maritime airborne early warning and battle management system. Follow-on phases are expected to further define the preferred option or options, working towards a production contract after further U.K. Ministry of Defence approval.
Northrop Grumman's contract is one of several studies that have been awarded.
MASC will be the airborne node of the Royal Navy's network-enabled capability -- the third element in its carrier strike capability and, as such, integrated with the Joint Combat Aircraft and the Future Carrier. The MASC system will take the capabilities currently being provided by the Sea King Mk. 7 airborne surveillance and control variant to the next level. For the winning team, MASC could have application to the needs of other nations as well.
Though Northrop Grumman's work on the study will be based in Bethpage, it will include significant interaction with companies in the United Kingdom.