Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been awarded a contract to supply the Canadian Department of National Defence with advanced ring-laser gyro (RLG) inertial navigation systems to be installed on two Protecteur-Class multi-cargo supply ships.

Under the firm, fixed-price contract valued at $1.5 million, the company’s Sperry Marine business unit will supply two MK 39 Mod 3A ring-laser gyro systems for each of the two ships, plus a fifth system that will be used in the Canadian navy training center. The systems will be shipped by the end of 2004. Sperry Marine will also deliver a set of pre-faulted modules that will be used for training Canadian navy personnel in trouble-shooting, maintenance and field repairs.

The MK39 Mod 3A ship’s inertial navigation systems, which are based on Sperry Marine’s third-generation ring-laser gyro technology, provide high-accuracy position data and precise attitude, velocity and heading inputs for the ship’s navigation and fire control systems.

Sperry Marine is a world leader in ring laser gyro technology, having supplied more than 80 percent of the RLG systems at sea today. The MK39 system has been specified by more than 28 international navies for a variety of ship platforms, and the MK49 is standardized for NATO ships, including the Canadian Halifax and Iroquois class. Sperry Marine’s AN/WSN-7 RLG navigator is standard equipment throughout the U.S. Navy surface and submarine fleets.

Sperry Marine, with worldwide headquarters in Charlottesville, Va., and major engineering and support offices in New Malden, U.K., 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, Md., 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-marine.com. For military sales inquiries call, +1 434 974 2134 or by e-mail, sales_military@sperry-marine.com. Visit our web site at www.sperry-marine.com