HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Northrop Grumman was contracted for personnel for expanded operations of Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar sense-and-warn systems in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The $124 million contract comprises two portions: the $76 million, first-year option of the task order for Afghanistan operations first announced August 2010 and issued under the Encore II contract vehicle from the Defense Information Systems Agency at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.; and $48 million for increased tasking in Afghanistan and to provide personnel for C-RAM sense-and-warn operations in Iraq.
Since initial fielding more than six years ago, the C-RAM system is credited with saving hundreds of lives through its ability to provide early warning of incoming indirect fire. Working closely with the U.S. Army, Northrop Grumman helped to take the C-RAM capability from concept to reality in less than 18 months.
C-RAM uses sensor, command and control and visualization tools to detect threatening objects and locate the sources of incoming fire. Once the threat is confirmed, its C2 system provides accurate warnings to exposed soldiers and other personnel. Simultaneously, the C2 system provides correlated track data to the intercept system to negate the incoming RAM threat.
The C2 system also passes point-of-origin and point-of- impact information on to other systems and sensors to aid the proper response.
