Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC - News) announced an
award of US$256 million contract received for continued technology
development of the E-10A wide area surveillance and battle management
command and control (MNC2) platform. The contract covers design
and analysis of the E-10A Technology Development Program (TDP)
through Initial Design Review, which is scheduled for May 2007.
ArmorWorks to
Provide Risk Assessment for Field Commanders
The United States Air Force has awarded ArmorWorks a Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to develop a software
package designed to evaluate the risk of personal injury before
a combat mission is carried out. When completed the program
will provide field commanders with tools for risk assessment,
realizing the potential risks involved with different optional
plans. The application will help commanders adjust their plans
and select the best strategy to guarantee the survivability
of their troops without compromising mission success. According
to Dr. Ken-An Lou, Chief Scientist for ArmorWorks, these predictions
which are done today through exhaustive, time consuming laboratory
calculations will generate risk assessment in real-time, when
the Commander needs it most.
Elbit Systems and Mowag signed a contract valued at €44.8
Million (Approximately $58 Million) to equip 138 Mowag's Pirhana
III armored vehicles, destined for Belgium, with unmanned turrets
monting 30mm automatic guns and electro-optical systems. The
unmanned urret, known as ORCWS Overhead Remotely Controlled
Weapon System is installed over the vehicle's roof, and is remotely
controlled by the gunner from within the vehicle, leaving much
needed space inside the fighting compartment for troops, supplies
and command and control systems.
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a
contract by the U.S. Air Force to provide 42 additional LITENING
Advanced Targeting (AT) systems for use by the Air Force
Reserve Command, Air National Guard and U.S. Marine Corps. Since
the introduction of LITENING in 1999, over 440 pods have been
ordered by the U.S. Air Force and allied nations with more than
360 systems fielded. In US inventory the pod is currently deployed
on AV-8B, A-10, B-52, F-15E, F-16 and F/A-18 aircraft.
Defense and homeland security companies continued to outperform
the broader market in 2006 as the benchmark SPADE
Defense Index (AMEX: DXS) gained 19.33% and marked the seventh
consecutive year it has outperformed the S&P500. Defense
stocks are expected to continue to perform well in 2007, and
Merrill Lynch cited them among its top 10 picks for 2007.
