Northrop Grumman team to build Navy VTUAV

Sea Power, Apr 2000 by Burgess, Richard R

Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems and Aerostructures (ISA) sector has been selected by the Navy to build the service's first Vertical Takeoff and Landing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VTUAV). The VTUAV contractvalued at $93.7 million-funds the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the VTUAV program and includes the development of one VTUAV and options for three LRIP (low-rate initial production) VTUAVs.

The VTUAV design selected was developed by the Ryan Aeronautical Center in San Diego, Calif., a segment of ISA's Air Combat Systems business unit based in EI Segundo, Calif. Northrop Grumman's Model 379 VTUAV will be based on an upgraded version of the Schweizer Model 330SP manned helicopter.

The VTUAV will be able to operate from any helicoptercapable ship to conduct reconnaissance and targeting with its onboard sensors, and will be equipped with a real-time data link to a shipboard or land-based control station. Northrop Grumman officials said they expect that at least 70 VTUAVs will be procured for the Navy and Marine Corps. The VTUAV is expected to enter service in 2003.

The Northrop Grumman VTUAV team includes Schweizer Aircraft Corporation, Rolls-Royce Allison, Lockheed Martin Federal Systems, L-3 Communications, and Sierra Nevada Corporation. Northrop Grumman's Electronic Sensors and Systems Sector will develop the VTUAV's sensor payload in concert with TAMAM-Israel Aircraft Industries.

Rolls-Royce Allison will provide-through a $500,000 contract-three 420-horsepower Model 250-C20W turboshaft engines that will power the three EMD aircraft.

"This [contract] demonstrates the strategic importance of Northrop Grumman's acquisition of Ryan Aeronautical last year," said Ralph D. Crosby Jr., president of Northrop Grumman ISA. "We integrated the unmanned systems capabilities from across Air Combat Systems to focus on this critical program. The capabilities of this team allowed a successful demonstration of our proposed VTUAV system."

Bath Iron Works to Build LPD 19

The third San Antonio-class landing platform dock (LPD) ship will be the first one of the class to be built by Bath Iron Works (BIW), a General Dynamics company. Fabrication of LPD 19 is scheduled to begin in January 2001; the ship is scheduled to be commissioned in 2004.

The Naval Sea Systems Command awarded the Avondale Industries division of Litton Ship Systems a $492 million contract for LPD 19. BIW, a prime subcontractor, will receive $449 million of the contract award. Raytheonthe warfare systems integrator for the ship-and Intergraph Corporation-which specializes in computer-aided designalso are participating in the project.

BIW expects to be awarded contracts to build four of the projected 12 ships of the San Antonio class. Avondale Industries is building LPDs 17 and 18 at its yard in New Orleans, and is expected to be awarded the contract to build LPD 20.

The 684-feet-long San Antonio-class LPDs will replace

three older classes of amphibious warfare ships and will be capable of deploying MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, LCACs (landing craft, air cushion), and AAAVs (Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicles). Each ship in the class will be able to accommodate a 700-man Marine landing force.

In a written statement to the Portland (Maine) Press Herald, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) said that "construction of these amphibious transport vessels marks an exciting new area of expertise for Bath Iron Works-and the culmination of a thorough and competitive design process for the Marine Corps and the Navy."