Raytheon receives U.S. Navy Contract for volume search radar for Zumwalt and CVN 78

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UNITED STATES - 8 JUNE 2009

Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) was awarded a $217 million U.S. Navy contract for two Volume Search Radar (VSR) arrays for the Zumwalt-class destroyer program and the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). “This contract demonstrates the Navy’s continuing confidence in the maturity of this radar technology and the capability of the industry team to deliver the Zumwalt-class radar suite and combat system,” said Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems’ (IDS) Michael Sosin, Zumwalt program manager and vice president of Integrated Warfare Systems.

The U.S. Navy’s Dual Band Radar combines the benefits of S-band and X-band radar capabilities to provide superior performance in a wide range of environments, while its innovative open architecture software design allows automatic operation with minimal human intervention. The S-band VSR radar arrays, built by Lockheed Martin, are integrated with Raytheon’s SPY-3 X-band Multi-Function Radar to form the advanced DBR, which is currently undergoing testing at the Navy’s Engineering Test Center, Wallops Island, Va.

Under the contract, Raytheon will procure long-lead materials for the VSR and will manufacture, test and deliver the radar system for the CVN 78 to support carrier air operations. The contract includes an option to produce a second VSR unit for the Zumwalt-class destroyer program. Work will be performed at Raytheon’s Surveillance and Sensor Center, Sudbury, Mass., and Lockheed Martin, Moorestown, N.J.


Source: Raytheon Company


Concept Image: Zumwalt Class Multi-Mission Destroyer (U.S. Navy)




Concept Image: CVN-78 Gerald R. Ford Class Super Aircraft Carrier (U.S. Navy)

 

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Raytheon Advances Maturity of Zumwalt's Total Ship Computing Environment
UNITED STATES - 17 FEBRUARY 2010

Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) achieved another in a series of milestones for the Zumwalt-class destroyer program with the successful Total Ship Computing Environment (TSCE) Release 6 software specifications review.

Zumwalt's TSCE is an advanced, open systems architecture that provides a scalable platform for cost-efficient delivery of new mission capability while capitalizing on the reuse of millions of lines of code from existing Navy programs. The system delivers an unprecedented level of Mission Systems Integration and automation. As such, it is a primary driver for the 60 percent reduction in manning for the Zumwalt-class destroyer versus the requirement for today's Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

"The success of our spiral development methodology for this program continues, ensuring that systems are validated as mature before progressing to full development," said Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems' (IDS) Bill Marcley, vice president of Total Ship Mission Systems. "With this review, all of the Zumwalt software requirements are complete, more than 80 percent of software coding is complete, and the program remains within budget and on schedule."

TSCE consists of six software releases, each version adding new features and robustness to the ship's mission capabilities. Release 6 is implementing more than 25,000 software requirements and will raise the total number of delivered lines of software code for Zumwalt to more than 9 million.

The Zumwalt-class destroyer will be the first in a family of surface combatant ships that provides unmatched capability to the U.S. Navy. The advanced technologies developed for the destroyer can be reused on future and modernized platforms. The benefits of Zumwalt's systems commonality are already being realized by the application of the Dual Band Radar on the new Ford-class aircraft carrier (CVN 78), as well as the application of the TSCE infrastructure for the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USS San Antonio (LPD 17) technology refresh efforts. The systems and software engineering approach used on Zumwalt yields an architecture well suited for capability enhancements to counter emerging threats. Additionally, it provides affordable new capabilities that address future mission requirements such as sea-based ballistic missile defense.


Source: Raytheon Company

 

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Colfax Supplies $25 Million in SMART Technology Systems for New U.S. Navy Destroyers
UNITED STATES - 12 APRIL 2010

RICHMOND, Va. -- Colfax Corporation (NYSE: CFX), a global leader in fluid-handling solutions for critical applications, announced it will supply $8 million in SMART technology valve systems and $17 million in magazine fire-suppression systems and SMART pump controllers, including engineering design services and hardware, for the first two DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers being built at the Bath Iron Works shipyard in Bath, Maine, for the U.S. Navy.

The shipyard is a subsidiary of General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE: GD).

Colfax has already begun shipping components manufactured by its Portland Valve business in South Portland, Maine, and its Fairmount Automation business in Newtown Square, Penn. Shipments for the two destroyers will continue through 2010.

"SMART fluid-handling technologies are an increasingly important part of our business in a variety of applications, and we're proud our systems were selected to help protect Zumwalt-class destroyers, the Navy's newest class of surface combatants," said Clay Kiefaber, president and CEO of Colfax. The company won the contract through a competitive bid, using its Colfax Business System(R) customer-focused process, which synthesizes strategic-planning and lean-manufacturing principles.

Colfax businesses have more than 100 years of fluid-handling application expertise in the defense industry.


Source: Colfax Corporation

 

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DRS to Produce GVAC for Next Gen Aircraft Carrier
UNITED STATES - 16 APRIL 2010

DRS Consolidated Controls Inc., a DRS Defense Solutions LLC business unit, announced today that it has been awarded a contract by Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding to design, qualify and manufacture the Gate Valve Actuator Controllers (GVAC) for the Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78).

These controllers will operate gate valves used in the United States Navy's next-generation aircraft carrier.

Work for GVAC is underway at the DRS Consolidated Controls plant in Danbury, CT with delivery of production hardware on track for the first quarter 2012.

Jeff Armstrong, vice president and general manager, DRS Consolidated Controls: "The Gate Valve Actuator Controls (GVAC) program is significant for DRS as we have been fortunate to win every electro mechanical actuator (EMA) controller program that we bid on for this ship and expands our leadership position in deploying EMA controls to replace shipboard hydraulics. We appreciate the confidence that Northrop Grumman continues to place in us to make these leading edge programs a low risk reality."


Source: DRS Technologies Inc.

 

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U.S. Navy's Dual Band Radar Achieves X- and S-Band Milestone
UNITED STATES - 3 MAY 2010

For the first time, the U.S. Navy has successfully tracked targets with a multiband radar featuring a common radar suite controller.

This milestone, which took place at the Navy's Engineering Test Center, Wallops Island, Va., was accomplished through the use of an engineering development model of the Dual Band Radar (DBR) developed by the Navy's prime contractor, Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), and its subcontractor Lockheed Martin Corporation.

The DBR tracked a target simultaneously at both X- and S-band frequencies. This is the most advanced naval radar in the world and will provide advanced surveillance and ship missile-defense capabilities for the Zumwalt-class destroyer (DDG 1000) and Ford-class aircraft carrier (CVN 78) in both deep water and littoral environments.

This 21st century system combines the benefits of the X-band AN/SPY-3 Multi-Function Radar and the S-band Volume Search Radar (VSR), providing superior performance in a broad range of environments against a variety of threats. It is the first naval radar system in the world capable of simultaneous, coordinated operation across two frequency ranges.

This milestone event simultaneously used AN/SPY-3's and VSR's search capabilities to acquire and track the target. Additionally, the test demonstrated the system's ability to perform automatic handover from S-band to X-band in precision tracking mode, a key feature of the radar and its single track manager.

The DBR is the result of more than a decade of collaboration between Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and the Navy. The radar is now in production for both the Zumwalt and Ford class, where it will replace six legacy radar systems.


Source: Raytheon Corporation

 

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U.S. Navy receives first Electronic Modular Enclosure for DDG 1000
UNITED STATES - 4 MAY 2010

TEWKSBURY, Mass., May 4, 2010 -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) delivered the first Electronic Modular Enclosure (EME) for the Zumwalt-class destroyer (DDG 1000) to the U.S. Navy.

This delivery provides leap-ahead technology and cost-effective innovation to modernize the approach to shipbuilding and mission equipment integration. EMEs are large subsystem assemblies that efficiently package the shock mitigation, electromagnetic interference protection, thermal conditioning, security and vibration isolation for commercial off-the-shelf electronics integrated inside. This innovation to 21st century shipbuilding is much more efficient and effective than existing ship construction methods and was designed into the Zumwalt program for affordability.

"The delivery of this critical piece of mission systems equipment is a significant milestone, demonstrating the results achieved through our strong collaborative partnership that spans across the Navy as well as the entire Zumwalt industry team," said Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems' (IDS) Bill Marcley, vice president of Total Ship Mission Systems and Zumwalt program manager. "The EME delivers capability and efficiencies in ship production that translate to cost savings for the Navy – now and throughout the life of the ship."

The EME unit, which houses ruggedized and commercial electronic equipment for the ship's external communications, was shipped from Raytheon's facility in Largo, Fla., to Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Miss. The EME will be integrated into DDG 1000's advanced composite deckhouse.

There are 16 EMEs on each Zumwalt destroyer, and each unit contains more than 235 individual electronics cabinets. In addition to allowing the ship's equipment to withstand the most rigorous battle conditions, EMEs also lower the ship integration costs by streamlining shipboard combat system installation, integration and testing. A fully populated EME weighs up to 18 tons and measures close to 35-feet long, 8-feet high and 12-feet wide.

Electronics integration and testing of the EMEs are performed at several Raytheon facilities, including IDS' Seapower Capability Center, Portsmouth, R.I.; IDS' Integrated Air Defense Center, Andover, Mass.; and Network Centric Systems, Largo, Fla. The EME shelters are provided by Gichner Shelter Systems, Dallastown, Penn.


Source: Raytheon Company

 

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Northrop Grumman Awarded $186.6 Million Contract to Continue the Design of Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)
UNITED STATES - 12 MAY 2010

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., May 12, 2010 -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a $186.6 million cost plus fixed fee contract from the U.S. Navy to continue the engineering and design effort for the nation's newest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

The company's Shipbuilding sector is the prime contractor. This planned contract modification funds additional design, planning and system integration activities and analysis to support CVN 78 construction.

"This planned contract modification is essential to continuing the ship design to support construction," said Mike Shawcross, vice president of aircraft carrier construction program. "Now that the design is in the three-dimensional product model our effort is focused on the production of instructions for the shops and ship assembly. We're excited to continue progress on the engineering and construction of CVN 78."

Named after the 38th president of the United States, Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is the first ship of the new Gerald R. Ford class whose keel was laid Nov. 14, 2009. The Ford class will continue the legacy of highly capable U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ship platforms. Enhancements incorporated into the design include flight deck changes, improved weapons handling systems, and a redesigned island, all resulting in increased aircraft sortie rates. It will also include new nuclear power plants; increased electrical power generation capacity; allowance for future technologies; and reduced workload for the sailors, translating to a smaller crew size and reduced operating costs for the Navy.


Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation

 

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General Atomics Finalizes Contract for Advanced Launch and Recovery Systems
UNITED STATES - 13 JULY 2010

(San Diego, Calif., July 13, 2010) -- General Atomics signed a fixed-price contract modification for the production of the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) and the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) for the U.S. Navy's new CVN 78 aircraft carrier, to be named Gerald R. Ford.

This action modifies the existing contract awarded in 2009 by the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. It includes a delivery incentive, based on the contract schedule of delivery of the EMALS equipment to the shipyard.

"Our production efforts started last June for EMALS and in November for AAG. All long-lead materials are on order and component manufacturing is in process for a number of subsystems. We are on track for CVN 78," said Electromagnetic Systems Division Vice President R. Scott Forney, III.


Source: General Atomics

 

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NGC Continues Construction for Next-Gen Aircraft Carrier, Gerald R. Ford
UNITED STATES - 29 JULY 2010

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) lifted two generators weighing over 195,000 pounds each into the aft section of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), currently under construction at the company's Shipbuilding sector in Newport News, Va., yesterday.

The diesel generators supply backup power throughout the ship in the event that power is lost.

"Landing these diesel generators is a significant event for us and is just one example of the many major components the yard is receiving and installing in the ship," said Mike Shawcross, vice president of Newport News' Aircraft Carrier Construction program. "Ford is now about 11 percent complete. We continue to be committed to executing each phase of construction with a focus on first-time quality. We're excited with our progress and construction of the ship."

Named after the 38th president of the United States, Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), whose keel was laid Nov. 14, 2009, is the first ship of the new Gerald R. Ford class.

The Ford class will continue the legacy of highly capable U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ship platforms. Enhancements incorporated into the design include flight deck changes, improved weapons handling systems and a redesigned island, all resulting in increased aircraft sortie generation rates.

It will also include new nuclear power plants; increased electrical power generation capacity; allowance for future technologies; and reduced workload for the sailors, translating to a smaller crew size and reduced operating costs for the Navy.


Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation