Northrop Grumman won a contract by
Bath Iron Works to supply commercial-off-the-shelf surface search radars for new Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) Class destroyers. Northrop Grumman's Marine Systems business unit, headquartered here, will supply the Decca BridgeMaster E naval radars for the next 19 ships in the class, replacing the SPS-64 radars installed on the earlier DDG 51 Class ships. The first installation is scheduled to take place on USS Mason (DDG 87), which will be commissioned in 2002. In addition to the radars, the contract also includes application engineering, installation, technical support, commissioning and crew training.
Award of the navigation radar contract complements other Marine Systems navigation equipment aboard the DDG 51 Class ships. Marine Systems currently supplies the steering machinery and controls system, the AN/WSN-7 Ring Laser Gyro Ships Inertial Navigator and the Doppler Sonar Velocity Log. Northrop Grumman's Ship Systems' Ingalls Operations currently has contracts to build 24 DDG 51 destroyers and has delivered 15 ships to date.
"The selection of BridgeMaster E naval radars for the remaining ships in the DDG 51 Class is an important validation of the company's position as a leading supplier of naval
navigation radars worldwide," said Wayne Humphreys, vice president and general manager for the military sector at the Charlottesville, Va.-based Marine Systems.
"BridgeMaster radars have been installed on the ships of more than 50 international navies and coast guards over the last 40 years." Marine Systems, a business unit of Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector, provides smart navigation solutions for the marine industry worldwide. The unit manufactures and markets products under the Sperry Marine, Decca and C. Plath brand names. Marine Systems provides customer service and support through offices in 19 countries and authorized service depots in more than 300 locations worldwide.