A New Way Of Looking At Things

The Army Communications Electronics Command (CECOM) has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation a contract to provide the US Air Force with 25 AN/APN-241 navigation and weather radars designed to enhance flying safety for Air National Guard C-130H tactical airlift aircraft.

The award to Northrop Grumman was through the CECOM Rapid Response contract, an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract available to all federal agencies, and managed by Northrop Grumman's Information Technology (IT) sector. The contract value for the radars is $11.7 million over two years to Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector.

The AN/APN-241 radar was developed specifically for the C-130 mission and operational requirements. It offers high-resolution ground mapping that enables accurate low-level navigation and precision aerial drops, predictive windshear detection in all weather conditions, and situational awareness for all-weather formation flying.

CECOM's order also includes an update to the APN-241 Radar Operational Flight Program to accommodate a new processor installed in the hardware.

"The AN/APN-241 is the radar of choice for the most demanding military aerial delivery requirements," said Robert W. DuBeau, vice president, Combat Systems, Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems. "With excellent ground mapping capabilities, weather detection and predictive windshear, this radar means 'mission accomplished' for the world's tactical airlift forces."

Engineering and manufacturing of the radars will take place at the Electronic Systems sector, Baltimore (MD) and Norwalk (CT) facilities. Deliveries are expected to be complete by Oct. 31, 2005.

More than 250 AN/APN-241 radars have been delivered and installed in C-130s around the world. The radar is on US Air Force C-130H and C-130J aircraft and has been selected for the Air Force's C-130 Avionics Modernization Program.

FMI: www.northgrum.com