SAN DIEGO, Feb. 10, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Marine Corps has selected Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) for a key phase of the Marine Corps Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S) that will enable more effective command, control and coordination of air operations.
The CAC2S program will modernize the current Marine Corps air command and control (C2) system with an integrated, open, modular and scalable system. CAC2S Phase II will provide real time processing and control of radar data and near real time tactical data link communications processing. The Phase II sensor data system will be integrated with the previously developed Phase I components to provide a robust aviation C2 capability.
Under the $5 million demonstration contract awarded by the Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., for the Phase II sensor data system, Northrop Grumman will provide an integrated Phase I/Phase II solution for customer evaluation. The evaluation will be conducted at the Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity System Test and Integration Lab located at the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif.
"We're aiming to accelerate the delivery of a modular, scalable and mission-adaptable tactical capability to the Marine Corps aviation community," said Mike Twyman, vice president of integrated command, control, communications and intelligence systems for Northrop Grumman's Information Systems sector. "To optimize an open-architecture system that reduces total ownership costs, we'll apply our Modular Open Systems Approach-CompetitiveTM model. To drive down risk and ensure rapid fielding of the capability, our CAC2S prototype will integrate Technology Readiness Level 8 products."
"Our product, including the newly developed mobile variant, supports established Marine Corps tactics, training and procedures," said Ike Song, vice president for situational awareness systems at Northrop Grumman's Navigation Systems Division. "The components are an outgrowth of our extensive experience with the Marine Corps Tactical Air Operation Module."
"The Northrop Grumman solution will also benefit from our experience developing configurable mobile command centers that minimize operational footprint," added Twyman. "Our CAC2S prototype hardware will be housed in an innovative transit case developed by Northrop Grumman for the Command Post Platform Light that provides its own cooling and is sealed to protect against environmental contaminants."
The Northrop Grumman CAC2S program office is located in San Diego. Work will be performed primarily in San Diego, Woodland Hills, Calif., and Huntsville, Ala.
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. Please visit for more information.
CONTACT: Sudi Bruni Northrop Grumman Information Systems (858) 592-3407 sudi.bruni@ngc.com