Northrop Grumman, U.S. Navy Complete Initial Flight Testing of the Triton Unmanned Aircraft System
Test team focusing on flying second aircraft, moving flight test program to East Coast
SAN DIEGO, March 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/—Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) and the U.S. Navy have successfully completed the first major milestone of the Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS) flight test program, clearing the aircraft to fly at various altitudes, speeds and weights.
During the test program, which is known as initial envelope expansion, the Northrop Grumman/Navy test team validated more than 568 test points. The flights took place at the company's manufacturing facility in Palmdale, Calif.
"Following Triton's first flight in May, we've seen a steady increase in the number of test flights and test points being accomplished," said Capt. James Hoke, Triton program manager with Naval Air Systems Command. "We're now working to fly the second test aircraft and then prepare to ferry both aircraft to Naval Air Station Patuxent River."
The test team conducted 13 flights during this effort, including several long-endurance flights totaling 81 hours at altitudes up to 59,950 feet, Hoke added.
Once both Triton test aircraft reach Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., the test team will install and flight test the aircrafts' sensor suite to validate the capabilities of each payload.
"As part of this effort, thousands of hours of simulated flight tests have been conducted in our laboratory," said Mike Mackey, Northrop Grumman's Triton program director. "This is a valuable activity because we can review test points in simulated environments that leaves us with less needing to be cleared during actual flight tests. Not only does this save time, it also costs less money by flying only to ensure test points are cleared."
Triton carries a variety of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensor payloads that allow military commanders to gather high-resolution imagery, use radar to detect targets, and provide airborne communications and information-sharing capabilities to military units across long distances.
The Navy plans to build 68 Triton UAS and they will be used with the manned P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to conduct persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions across vast ocean and coastal regions.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation
SAIC Awarded Contract by the Naval Air Systems Command
Company to Provide Technical Services for Anti-Submarine Warfare Sensor System at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland
MCLEAN, Va., March 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/—The Avionics Department (AIR-4.5) at the Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Air Station Patuxent River awarded Science Applications International Corporation (NYSE: SAIC) a prime contract to provide technical and scientific research, development, integration, analysis, assessment, and test and evaluation for its Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) sensor systems. The multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract has a five-year period of performance, and a total contract ceiling value of approximately $50 million available to all awardees. Work will be performed primarily in Patuxent River.
AIR-4.5 develops advanced sensors and systems that support a variety of aviation missions. Most of the sensors will be air deployed via manned or unmanned aircraft, but ground, surface and undersea deployable sensors may also be included when mission driven.
Under the contract, SAIC will provide planning, coordination, technology development, systems definition, systems acquisition, systems integration, modification, and product support for manned and unmanned platform avionics and sensors in support of the Acoustic Systems Division and the Electro-Optics and Special Mission Systems Division. Additionally, SAIC will provide the development and modification of ASW sensor systems and the equipment used to develop, integrate, test and evaluate avionics systems.
"This award expands upon our relationship with the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River. The scope of this contract encompasses many areas of expertise within SAIC," said Tom Watson, SAIC senior vice president and general manager of the Navy and Marine Corps Customer Group. "We look forward to providing these additional capabilities to our customer."
Source: SAIC