US Air Force Aircraft Integrated Sensor Suite Contract for Northrop

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a contract by the US Air Force for providing the unmanned aircraft program of Global Hawk with the capability of interim repair for the Air Force’s enhanced integrated sensor suite (EISS) and integrated sensor suite (ISS).

This interim repair line will be positioned and operated at the El Segundo-based Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems (SAS) in California. The repair line will be separated from the existing manufacturing line. The $50 million contract is of a fixed-price/cost-plus fixed fee type.  Northrop has partnered with Raytheon SAS for equipping the Block 20 and 30 systems of the Global Hawk with the EISS imaging system.

Global Hawk operates autonomously at altitudes exceeding 60,000 feet over prevailing winds and inclement weather at a stretch for more than 32 hours. The original ISS was used during the initial enhanced concept technology demonstration of Global Hawks in the Persian Gulf. This overseas demonstration was conducted almost after a two month period after September 11, 2001. Since then the Block 10 of the Global Hawks operates almost continuously for supporting the region’s combat operations.  The Block 30 systems can carry 50% additional payload and deliver in excess of twice the electric power. The Block 30 systems will carry the Northrop’s advanced signals intelligence payload (ASIP) and Raytheon’s EISS simultaneously. Block 30 aircraft will commence operating with the US Air Force as scheduled at California’s Beale Air Force base, as well as at a number of overseas locations in the Pacific and Europe, this year.

The interim repair line for sensors, the US Air Force’s Global Hawk’s first repair facility, will enhance the critical EISS and ISS components’ availability for supporting the increasing tempo of operations. The ISS installed on Block 10 of the Global Hawks have depicted the significance of the high resolution, wide area imagery of its synthetic aperture radar, along with its infrared and visible electro optic camera. The capability of the ISS will be improved upon by the EISS, with increase in resolution and range by more than 50%. According to the US Air Force prediction, combat commanders will need Block 30 Global Hawks for flying more hours than planned earlier. The interim repair capability offers an important bridge for a totally autonomous depot level initiative for the Global Hawk system.

Northrop Grumman’s high altitude long endurance systems Vice President, George Guerra informed that Northtop is focused on offering the most dependable resources to support the requirements of the warfighters.