MELBOURNE, Fla., March 3 (UPI) -- Defense company Northrop Grumman has been selected by the U.S. Air Force to deliver two of its engine pod system shipsets.
Northrop Grumman announced it received the contract to deliver its upgraded E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System Propulsion Pod System shipsets.
Following final military certification of the engines, Northrop Grumman will begin delivery of the shipsets, which include four Pratt and Whitney JT8D-219 engines and other technologies for each system, in 2011 as part of the $223.6 million Air Force award.
"This critical award moves us a step closer to re-engining the Joint STARS fleet," Tom Vice, Northrop Grumman Battle Management and Engagement Systems sector vice president, said in a statement.
"We've initially demonstrated the JT8D's approximately 21,000 pounds of maximum thrust on T-3 (test bed aircraft) and the performance improvement seen in flight testing is immediately noticeable."
