Northrop Grumman to provide laser designators to maintain electro-optical multispectral targeting systems
CRANE, Ind. – U.S. Navy airborne sensors experts needed laser components for the repair of an electro-optical multispectral sensor and laser-designation system for the U.S. Army MQ-1C Gray Eagle reconnaissance and attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). They found their solution from the Northrop Grumman Mission Systems segment in Apopka, Fla.
Officials of the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Ind., announced a $7.3 million order to Northrop Grumman last week to provide 56 single-color diode-pumped laser designators for the Common Sensor Payload Program's Multi-spectral Targeting System (MTS) family of electro-optic infrared (EO/IR) sensors.
These laser designators help enable the Gray Eagle UAV to fire laser-guided weapons accurately. Navy officials awarded this order to Northrop Grumman sole-source because the company is the only responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy Navy and Army requirements.
The MTS, integrated by the Raytheon Technologies Corp. Intelligence & Space segment in McKinney, Texas, is an airborne forward-looking infrared, turreted sensor package that provides long-range surveillance, high altitude target acquisition, tracking, range-finding, and laser designation for all tri-service and NATO laser-guided munitions.
Raytheon is providing MTS systems for the Army Gray Eagle UAV, the Navy Sikorsky MH-60 helicopter, and the U.S. Air Force HC/MC-130J four-engine turboprop aircraft. Northrop Grumman is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of these MTS electro-optical components.
Work will be performed in Apopka, Fla., and should be finished by June 2022. For more information contact Northrop Grumman Mission Systems online at www.northropgrumman.com, Raytheon Intelligence & Space at www.raytheonintelligenceandspace.com, or the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane at www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NSWC-Crane.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
