NGC Contracted for USN/RAN SPQ-9B Radars & Support
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Australia & S. Pacific, Contracts - Awards, Missiles - Anti-Ship, Northrop-Grumman, Radars, Surface Ships - Combat
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Melville, NY recently received a pair of contracts from America and Australia for the AN/SPQ-9B radar system. That radar was the main air defense radar on several American destroyer and cruiser classes, but is now relegated to a secondary role on advanced air defense ships. It provides the capability to detect and track low-flying, high-speed, small radar cross-section anti-ship missile targets in heavy clutter environments.
The AN/SPQ-9 radar is currently installed on CG-47 Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruisers, where this track-while-scan radar can be integrated into the Mk 86 gun fire control system (GFCS) or the Aegis Combat Direction System. It is also the primary radar on the LHA-1 Tarawa class amphibious landing ships. As for the AN/SPQ-9B…
An upgrade of the AN/SPQ-9A, the AN/SPQ-9B supports surface engagement capability in detecting and tracking sea-skimming, low radar cross-section, high-speed targets. It uses a high resolution, track-while-scan, X-Band, pulse Doppler radar to provide real-time acquisition and automatic tracking of multiple targets. The AN/SPQ-9B is available as a stand-alone radar, or as a replacement for the AN/SPQ-9A.
The Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart class Aegis “air warfare destroyers” may also be equipped with the AN/SP-9B, per DSCA requests. “Aussie Anti-Air Umbrella: The Hobart Class Ships” has more on the destroyer program.
Oct 30/09: A $26.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for 4 AN/SPQ-9B radar sets combines purchases for the US Navy (56%) and the government of Australia (44%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. They will deliver 4 horizon search AN/SPQ-9B radar sets, including above and below deck hardware, and combat interface kits, for use on US Navy and Royal Australian Navy ships. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $281.5 million.
Northrop Grumman will perform the work in Melville, NY (91.2%); Norwalk, CT (5.5%); Baltimore, MD (3.3%), and expects to complete it by April 2011. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-10-C-5343).
Oct 30/09: A $7.9 million cost- plus-fixed fee contract for continued design agent and technical engineering support to AN/SPQ-9B radars during installation, integration, testing, and refurbishment. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $39.3 million. It combines purchases for the US Navy, (71.8%) and the government of Australia (28.2%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program.
Work will be performed in Melville, NY (96.9%); Baltimore, MD (2.4%); Norwalk, CT (0.7%), and is expected to be completed by October 2010. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, D.C. (N00024-10-C-5341).
