Grumman Corporation and Aluminum Chambered Boats, Inc.
(ACB), Bellingham, Wash., jointly announce that the two companies have
signed a memorandum of understanding to explore future combat system
requirements and capabilities for the U.S. Navy's anticipated
Riverine/Coastal Warfare program. The companies have also agreed to
design and build a riverine craft technology demonstrator that will
integrate
Northrop Grumman's leading-edge navigation, surveillance,
network and command and control systems onboard an innovative,
ACB-designed riverine-class hullform.
The two companies will develop a system that will meet the
emerging Riverine/Coastal Warfare program requirement. The program is
designed to integrate the 21st century expeditionary warfighter into
the U.S. Navy's service-wide FORCEnet network-centric warfare
architecture. This will give expeditionary warfighters dynamic,
real-time command and control capability with greatly expanded
situational awareness and vastly improved survivability.
Aluminum Chambered Boats will design an industry-unique,
riverine craft technology demonstrator that will be highly
maneuverable, fast and stable. Northrop Grumman will outfit the
platform with weapon and
sensor systems, all of which will be
integrated with onboard and off-board systems-of-systems and command
and control architecture. Sailors and Marines in the expeditionary
force will use the demonstrator to explore concepts of operation for
coastal and inland waterway operations.
The team also plans to pursue an emerging global market that is
seeking similar capabilities. Applications include the global war on
terrorism and allied requirements for coalition interoperability as
part of the U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations' vision for a "1000
ship navy."