Airborne Electronic Attack Systems For US Navy

Bethpage NY: The U.S. Navy is acquiring a third lot of Northrop Grumman Improved Capability (ICAP) III airborne electronic attack systems for its fleet of EA-6B Prowlers under a $101.9 million firm, fixed-price contract. The company will deliver seven complete systems, plus associated piece parts and spares. Deliveries are scheduled to begin during the second quarter of 2010.

To date, Northrop Grumman has delivered two lots of Prowlers modified with the new ICAP III system to the Navy. These aircraft have been deployed several times to support combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The third lot will be delivered to the U. S. Marine Corps at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N. C., becoming part of Marine Air Group 14.

"We are very excited to support the Marine Corps as they transition to this next generation of EA-6B capabilities," said Patricia McMahon, vice president and Electronic Support and Attack Solutions Integrated Product Team leader for Northrop Grumman.

"From its remarkable performance in Iraq and Afghanistan, we know that the combat-tested ICAP III system will fit well into the Marines' vision for supporting deployed infantryman and future electronic warfare networks."

Prowlers are a high-demand, low-density military asset used by U.S. forces in all airborne electronic attack missions.

They are used heavily in the global war on terrorism. ICAP III is the latest of five generations of EA-6 airborne electronic-attack systems designed to identify, degrade and destroy enemy radar-guided air defense and communication systems. Prowlers equipped with ICAP III capabilities reached initial operational capability in 2005.

At the heart of the ICAP III Prowler are the new ALQ-218 receiver and the sophisticated algorithms that allow selective-reactive jamming and threat precision geolocation capabilities. ICAP III also has the new Multifunction Information Distribution System (MIDS).

MIDS, which features the U.S. military's primary data-link system, LINK 16, will enable ICAP III Prowlers to become key nodes in the Navy's Sea Power 21 FORCEnet architecture.

Northrop Grumman, the EA-6B Prowler ICAP III prime contractor, will perform services under this contract in Bethpage. The company also manufactures the ICAP III ALQ-218 receiver subsystem. Major subcontractors include: BAE SYSTEMS, Nashua, N.H. and Times Microwave, Wallingford, Conn.