NGC Receives $223.6 Million Production Contract for New Engines for E-8C Joint STARS

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Northrop Grumman Receives $223.6 Million Production Contract for New Engines for E-8C Joint STARS
UNITED STATES - 3 MARCH 2010

The U.S. Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation a $223.6million contract for two E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) Propulsion Pod System (PPS) shipsets and FAA certification.

Each shipset contains four Pratt and Whitney JT8D-219 engines, pylon assemblies and associated aircraft system interconnections. Deliveries are expected to start in 2011 pending the final military certifications of the engines on "T-3," the Joint STARS test bed aircraft.

"This critical award moves us a step closer to re-engining the Joint STARS fleet," said Tom Vice, sector vice president of the company's Battle Management and Engagement Systems Division. "We've initially demonstrated the JT8D's approximately 21,000 pounds of maximum thrust on T-3 and the performance improvement seen in flight testing is immediately noticeable."

‪The increased power and fuel economy from the new engines – which are widely used in commercial airline fleets – enables the E-8 to fly higher and maintain longer time on station, providing a better view of the battlespace. "With JT8D engines, Joint STARS will be able to take off from shorter runways, increasing basing options and reducing the transit time to get on station," said Vice. "Shorter transit time, along with the improved fuel efficiency and increased reliability of these new engines all translate to more Joint STARS time on station – a critical benefit to U.S. and coalition forces.

"The JT8D's reliability, as demonstrated in commercial service, also addresses the fleet's number one maintenance issue – engines," said Vice. "A business case analysis has shown that this engine upgrade may potentially pay for itself in less than 10 years in the operations, maintenance and fuel savings realized from not having to deal with the old engines."

The Administration's fiscal 2011 budget, currently under consideration by Congressional committees, includes procurement funding for additional shipsets of engines.

The Joint STARS program is managed by the 751st Electronic Support Group at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass. The Joint STARS aircraft are assigned to the Georgia Air National Guard's 116th Air Control Wing, a "total-force blended wing," based at Robins Air Force Base, Ga. The Wing comprises active-duty Air Force, Army and Air National Guard personnel.

‪Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor for the E-8C Joint STARS development and total system support programs.

The E-8C is the world's most advanced wide-area airborne ground-surveillance, targeting and battle-management system. It detects, locates, classifies, tracks, and targets hostile ground movements, communicating real-time information through secure data links with joint and component command and control elements.

Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation


Pratt and Whitney JT8D-219



File Photo: U.S. Air Force E-8C JOINT STARS

 

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Joint STARS Resumes Re-engining Program with Two Major Contract Actions
UNITED STATES - 18 MARCH 2010

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass --- The 751st Electronic Systems Group has successfully resumed the system design and development phase of the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System re-engining program with the award of two large contract actions.

The E-8C Joint STARS is an airborne battle management command and control and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform based upon the Boeing 707-300 airframe. The aircraft utilizes the APY-7 radar to provide commanders Ground Moving Target Indicator and Synthetic Aperture Radar imagery of the battlefield.

The re-engining program aims to upgrade the current TF-33 engines with Pratt and Whitney JT8D-219 engines.

"The new engines are predicted to meet operational requirements with more persistent operations above 34,000 feet, increased mission duration, and increased take-off weight," said Maj. Chris Cherry, 633rd Electronic Systems Squadron re-engining program manager. "Since the new engines will replace 1960s-era TF-33 engines, we also anticipate significantly reduced maintenance and improved reliability as well as increased fuel efficiency, leading to improved benefits for the warfighter."

Two re-engining contract efforts facilitated the restart of the program. The Phase IA effort involves the procurement of engines. Phase II is the expansion of an effort to continue design, testing and development work associated with the new engines.

On Feb. 9, Electronic Systems Center officials definitized a $223.6 million contract to Northrop Grumman Corp., for two production shipsets of engines, which include four JT8D-219 engines and the associated pylons and cowlings for each E-8C aircraft. It also includes all work efforts necessary to obtain the FAA certification for this type of engine to be used on a 707-300 aircraft.

On Feb. 25, the expanded Phase II effort was awarded to Northrop Grumman Corp. with $60 million added to the contract. This contract includes flight testing, data capture for flight simulators, modified air certification, pneumatic system development, training, logistics, flight manuals and logistics design efforts.

These contracts resume a program effort that had slowed during the summer of 2009 when several issues arose.

"Concerns about long-term fleet viability and program cost growth led to a delay in execution and outright halt of portions of the program in August," said Maj. Kevin Massie, commander of the 633rd. "In late September, after being presented with several options, the Air Force directed the continuation of the Re-engining System Design and Development phase, with the intention of moving toward a Milestone C decision for production of the remaining E-8C engine shipsets in fiscal 2012."

The Air Force SDD decision was reinforced by an Acquisition Decision Memorandum released on Sept. 30, 2009, by the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics that designated Joint STARS a special interest program and directed the continuation of the re-engining SDD program.

At the completion of the SDD program in 2012, the Joint STARS re-engining program will proceed to a full production decision. This full production decision will be aided by the results of an ongoing Air Force Analysis of Alternatives for the Joint STARS mission area as well as results of E-8C Service Life Studies recommended by the Air Force Fleet Viability Board.

The AoA effort is being led by Air Combat Command specialists and will explore multiple alternatives for the GMTI, BMC2 and associated communications missions currently performed by the E-8C.

Officials with the 633rd ELSS, in partnership with the Joint STARS sustainment manager from the 577th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron at Robins AFB, Ga., is conducting several study efforts recommended by the FVB to support determination of the service life -- the safe, military utility life -- of the E-8C platform.

"As the Air Force looks toward the future of the Joint STARS, the program office has been working diligently the past few months to re-plan and execute funding actions to ensure the SDD can be completed," Major Massie said. "With a strong team effort involving our program management, contracting, financial management and engineering team members, as well as outstanding working relationships with our ACC and Air Staff counterparts, we were able to put a funding path and plans in place to get re-engining back on track."

 

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Curtiss-Wright Awarded $10 Million Contract from Northrop Grumman For Upgraded Radar Signal Processing Technology
UNITED STATES - 25 MARCH 2010

Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE: CW) today announced that it has been awarded a $10.5 million contract by Northrop Grumman Corporation to provide an upgraded Radar Signal Processing (RSP) solution for use in the Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) program. The initial portion of the contract, for $5.1 million, was awarded for the Joint STARS Prime Mission Equipment (PME) Diminishing Material Source (DMS). An additional $5.4 million was awarded to enhance the RSP solution so that it meets advanced radar processing capacity requirements necessary to support future radar performance needs.

"Curtiss-Wright is committed to its leadership role in developing advanced products that support critical defense applications such as the Joint STARS program," said Martin R. Benante, CEO and Chairman of Curtiss-Wright Corporation. "Our embedded computing technology will support the aircraft's advanced radar signal processing needs, which in turn provides improved efficiency for our military personnel."

The U.S. Air Force's E-8 Joint STARS aircraft is the world's premier ground surveillance platform, which is able to track slow moving or stationary targets at sea, on the ground or hugging the terrain in slow flight. The Air Force's Radar Airborne Signal Processor (RASP) system performs the radar signal processing capabilities of the Joint STARS aircraft, enabling its ability to process data that results in the ability to locate targets. The contract is part of a larger upgrade to the RASP system used in Joint STARS.

Curtiss-Wright's Motion Control segment will design and manufacture the Radar Signal Processing (RSP) solution at its San Diego, CA facility.



Source: Curtiss-Wright Corporation

 

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Northrop Grumman Selects TCG BOSS Solution for Use in Joint STARS
UNITED STATES - 19 JULY 2010

Tactical Communications Group (TCG), the leading independent provider of tactical data link ("TDL") software solutions for military test, training and operational applications worldwide, today announced that Northrop Grumman awarded TCG a contract for multiple TCG BOSS systems for use by Northrop Grumman in its Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) program.

Joint STARS is a highly effective United States Air Force battle management and command and control aircraft that tracks ground vehicles and aircraft, collects imagery, and relays tactical pictures to ground and air theater commanders by using sophisticated tactical data link communication technology, including Link 16 communication systems.

Northrop Grumman selected TCG’s BOSS software solution to conduct comprehensive testing for compliance with Link 16 standards related to new modifications being made to the mission operating systems of the Joint STARS aircraft, including integration changes related to the new MIDS-JTRS terminal on these Joint STARS aircraft.

"Having Northrop Grumman choose TCG’s BOSS solution as its sole provider for simulation and testing of Link 16 capabilities is testament to TCG’s robust and technologically advanced product capabilities," said Marty McDonough, President and CEO of TCG. "We are very proud to have multiple BOSS systems in use by Northrop Grumman, and believe this further supports the position of BOSS as the de-facto 'gold standard' with the military testing community worldwide. We look forward to working closely with Northrop on this important program for the benefit of our joint warfighter customers."


Source: Tactical Communications Group