BALTIMORE, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Northrop Grumman's AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar system successfully supported two weapons and tactics instruction events during testing.
The system, built for the U.S. Marine Corps, detected, tracked and identified a range of aerial targets, including those in a heavy clutter environment during exercises at the Marine Air Control Squadron in Yuma, Ariz.
"Under very intense testing conditions, our AN/TPS-80 detected and tracked targets that other systems at the exercise were not able to," said Jeffrey Q. Palombo, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman's Land and Self Protection Systems Division. "We look forward to continuing our strong partnership and collaboration with the Marine Corps on this program as it proceeds to Milestone C."
The AN/TPS-80 is built with an open, scalable architecture to enable digital interoperability and incorporation of new capabilities through software-only updates.
Northrop Grumman said the system's engineering development model showed its ballistic missile defense capability this year by detecting multiple rocket launches during company-funded testing at Wallops Island, Va.
"Completion of the developmental testing and assessment, along with the successful conduct of the production readiness review in September, positions the USMC for a Milestone C decision to authorize low-rate initial production (of the system)," Northrop Grumman said.
