Northrop Grumman and ACB Join Forces

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."