7 September 2016

Northrop Grumman delivering first GaN-based G/ATOR systems under latest LRIP award

Northrop Grumman Corp of Redondo Beach, CA, USA has received a contract from the US Marine Corps (USMC) for an additional nine AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) low-rate initial production (LRIP) systems.

This is the second LRIP order placed by the USMC, but the first order in the upgraded gallium nitride (GaN)-based configuration. Northrop Grumman's initial contract was to provide six G/ATOR LRIP systems – in a gallium arsenide (GaAs)-based configuration – the first of which will be delivered in February 2017 (to support testing and fielding G/ATOR Block 1 and Block 2 initial operational capability in 2018).

These nine additional systems and all subsequent G/ATOR systems incorporate GaN technology, providing the Marine Corps with nearly $2m in life-cycle cost savings per system. GaN technology also provides performance benefits including lower input power needs, higher efficiency and higher output power. This higher output power can substantially increase threat detection and tracking ranges for all four G/ATOR mission capabilities: air surveillance, weapon cueing, counter-fire target acquisition and air traffic control.

"There are no other GaN ground-based active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars in production today," says Roshan Roeder, director, mission solutions, Northrop Grumman. "G/ATOR is the first DoD [Department of Defense] ground-based AESA system to incorporate GaN in a production program. We proposed this technology as a cost-savings measure for the government and funded risk reduction internally to ensure a seamless insertion into the G/ATOR system," he adds. "We are continuing to look at future technology insertions to continue providing the best capability out there to our warfighters at an affordable cost."

As a developer of AESA radar systems, Northrop Grumman is also on contract to develop and test high-performance, short- and medium-range radars for additional DoD ground- and ship-based applications. The firm's family of ground radar systems includes the AN/APG-83 Highly Adaptable Multi-Mission Radar (HAMMR) AESA system as well as the solid-state AN/TPS-78 and TPS-703 radar systems.

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