Northrop wins laser missile defense contract

Northrop Grumman Corp. won a $142 million follow-on contract from the Missile Defense Agency for systems engineering, planning and logistics support for its Airborne Laser boost-phase missile defense program, the company said today.

The airborne laser systems are high-energy, oxygen-iodine laser and beam control systems in Boeing 747 airplanes. They detect, track and destroy ballistic missiles during their boost phase using a high-power laser beam.

Under the Airborne Laser Advisory and Assistance Services contract, Northrop Grumman's IT division of McLean, Va., will provide technical and administrative support that includes understanding technical program challenges, analyzing and predicting performance and conducting optimal system-design plans.

The work will take place at Kirkland Air Force Base in New Mexico. The company also will help analyze system tests, provide administrative support for security and personnel and support the Missile Defense Agency's airborne sensor program operations. Northrop Grumman will do the work through 2009.

Northrop Grumman's teammates include Aegis Technologies Group Inc., Apogen Technologies Inc., ATK Mission Research, MZA Associates Corp., National Security Research Inc., Schafer Corp. and Science Applications International Corp.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Northrop Grumman is No. 2 on Washington Technology's 2004 Top 100 list of government contractors. The company has more than 125,000 employees and had 2004 revenue of about $29.9 billion.