Four grab Navy maritime surveillance work

The Naval Air Systems Command has awarded four contracts, worth $1 million each, for the study and proposal of solutions for an around-the-clock worldwide maritime surveillance capability, the command announced this month.

Boeing Co., General Dynamics Corp, Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp. all won contracts for the Persistent Unmanned Maritime Airborne Surveillance program.

During the initial five-month phase, the companies will set performance measurements for the unmanned intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission and examine capabilities for mission performance within a family of systems. The efforts ultimately will help the Navy apply its manned and unmanned family of systems architecture within a network-centric environment.

The Navy believes that unmanned aerial vehicles will provide substantial additional warfighting capabilities.

After the initial five-month effort, the Navy will down-select contractors to continue the study for another seven months, during which they will develop technical baselines and conduct risk assessments. The total value for the two separate efforts will be about $4 million for each contractor.

Based in Patuxent River, Md., the Naval Air Systems Command is responsible for providing maritime combat power for the Navy and Marine Corps as they focus on a variety of sophisticated weapon technologies. The command operates three Naval Aviation Depots in the continental United States, which overhaul, repair, and modify aircraft, engines, avionics and aeronautical components.