$49.1M to NGC to Maintain MH-53E’s Minesweeping Gear

AQS-24 loading, MH-53E(click to view full) Feb 25/10: Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Annapolis, MD received a $49.1 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for services and materials for depot level repair and maintenance of AMCM systems including the high-speed, high-resolution AN/AQS-14A side-scan sonar; AN/AQS-24 mine hunting system; AN/ALQ-141 acoustic minehunting/ minesweeping system; CP-2614/T common post mission analysis; and USM-668 intermediate level test equipment and swivel slip-ring assembly. All of these systems are used by the US Navy’s MH-53E Sea Dragon mine hunting helicopters. With tensions rising around critical global shipping chokepoints, the USN’s new Osprey Class minehunters retired early and sold to other countries, its Littoral Combat Ship program late, and its associated MH-60S AMCM systems still a years away from full deployment, the MH-53Es and their gear are extremely important to the US Navy. Work will be performed in Panama City, FL, and is expected to be complete by February 2015. Contract funds in the amount of $100,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/10. This contract was not competitively procured by The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division in Panama City, FL (N61331-10-D-0009).