Northrop wins warning system work

Northrop Grumman Corp. won a $3.1 million contract from the Army to provide a chemical-agent threat-warning system, the company said today.

Under the contract, the defense giant's electronic systems sector in Baltimore will produce six standoff detection units designed to assist military and civilian first responders find, identify and warn of chemical-agent threats.

The systems can be installed at fixed sites or adapted for use in a vehicle.

Two detector units each will be delivered to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.; Elgin Air Force Base, Fla.; and White Sands Missile Range, N.M., for testing and evaluation.

Northrop Grumman's team members include CRE Inc. of Alexandria, Va.; Mesh Inc. of Oxford, Pa.; and Block Engineering LLC of Marlborough, Mass.

Northrop Grumman has similar chemical and biological detection programs under way for the U.S. Postal Service and the Defense Department.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Northrop Grumman is No. 2 on Washington Technology's 2004 Top 100 list. The company employs 120,000 workers and had 2003 revenue of $26.2 billion.