Northrop Grumman Completes Successful Ground Based Fighter Radar Demonstration

BALTIMORE, June 15, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC - News) has successfully demonstrated the Defense Department's new Ground Based Fighter Radar (GBFR), a multi-mission ground tactical radar designed to provide on-the-move air defense capability to the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps.
The demonstration took place recently at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Aberdeen, Md. Northrop Grumman was awarded the GBFR contract by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center at Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
The objective of GBFR was to package a proven airborne radar into a compact, lightweight ground configuration operating on a single HMMWV. In this configuration, the radar provides 360-degree coverage while the vehicle is moving. The radar employs an adaptation of active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology from airborne platforms as a basis for its operation. GBFR's compact, lightweight configuration makes it easily deployable from a variety of expeditionary platforms providing the rapid transport capability required for today's battlespace.
"This demonstration represents a paradigm change for future military forces operating with ground radar," said Pat Newby, vice president of Weapons and Sensors for Northrop Grumman's Land Forces Division. "The on-the-move capability, as demonstrated by GBFR, will bring important capabilities to the current irregular warfare missions being conducted around the world by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps. We will continue to work with the U.S. Army to mature this system to support our warfighters."
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.