Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been awarded current-year options totaling $16.6 million under a multi-year contract from the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command for full-rate production of AN/SPQ-9B anti-ship missile-defense radars. The radars will enhance the ability of Navy ships to defend against fast, low-flying threats.

The five-year, firm fixed-price contract was awarded to Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine business unit. The award of the first-year options increases the total contract award to $40.3 million. The potential value of the contract over five years is between $120.3 million and $146.8 million, depending on which options are exercised. The work will be performed at the company’s Melville, N.Y., facility.

“The AN/SPQ-9B is a new-generation search and fire-control radar designed to provide improved detection and tracking of small, high-speed, low-flying threats and represents a major redesign to the existing AN/SPQ-9A fire-control radar system,” said Larry Lycksell, AN/SPQ-9B program manager at the Melville facility. “The radar’s surface and air-search capabilities are especially well suited for surveillance in coastal regions where land and sea clutter limit the tracking and detection capabilities of other search radars.”

The AN/SPQ-9B radars will be fitted as standard equipment on a wide range of ship types, including Navy aircraft carriers, cruisers, amphibious ships and the new U.S. Coast Guard maritime security cutters. The radar has met all Navy testing and certification requirements, including the latest specifications for shock and environmental survivability.

“This contract represents 10 years of hard work and dedication by a team of military, government and Northrop Grumman personnel to meet requirements set by an ever changing acquisition process,” said Stefanie Doyle, NAVSEA PEO IWS AN/SPQ-9B project engineer.

Sperry Marine, with worldwide headquarters in Charlottesville, Va., and major engineering and support offices in Melville, N.Y., New Malden, England, and Hamburg, Germany, is part of Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector. Sperry Marine provides smart navigation and ship control solutions for the international marine industry with customer service and support through offices in 16 countries, sales representatives in 47 countries, and authorized service depots in more than 250 locations worldwide.

Headquartered in Baltimore, Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of defense and commercial electronic systems including airborne radar, navigation systems, electronic countermeasures, precision weapons, airspace management systems, communications systems, space sensors, marine and naval systems, government systems and logistics services.

For commercial sales inquiries, contact Sperry Marine by phone, +1 434 974 2656 or by e-mail, sales_commercial @sperry.ngc.com. For military sales inquiries call, +1 434 974 2134 or by e-mail, sales_military@sperry.ngc.com. Visit our web site at www.sperrymarine.northropgrumman.com.