Bethpage, NY -- A $45 million contract for Phase 3 of low-rate initial production of the AN/AES-1 Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS) has been awarded to Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) by the U.S. Navy. The contract includes the production of four pods, spares, product development and support at a lower cost-per-pod than in previous lots.
The ALMDS pod is mounted on an MH-60S helicopter and detects mines using pulsed laser emissions and streak tube receivers by 3-D imaging, day or night, the near-surface of the ocean while flying over the sea.
The company has delivered five pods to date. The Navy is performing the Developmental Flight Test-IIE (DT-IIE) program from its Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division site in Florida. These tests lead towards Operational Evaluation and the full-rate production decision next year.
"What's critical to the warfighter is the performance of the system. We are confident that DT-IIE results will prove the unique threat detection value and performance of our ALMDS," stated Northrop Grumman's Dan Chang, vice president of Maritime and Tactical Systems.
The Northrop Grumman ALMDS contractor team comprises Arete Associates, (Tucson, AZ), which manufactures the receiver sensor assembly; Northrop Grumman subsidiary, Cutting Edge Optronics (St. Charles, MO), which manufactures the high-powered laser transmitter; CPI Aero (Edgewood, NY) manufacturer of the pod housing; Curtiss Wright/DY4, (San Diego, CA) manufacturer of the central electronics chassis; and Meggitt Defense Systems, (Irvine, CA) which produces the environmental control system.
Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
