Cobham Joins the Military Revolution with NAVAIR
Cobham has been awarded a contract for US$46 million from Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). They will manufacture the AN/ALQ-99 Low Band Transmitter-Antenna Group for US Navy and Marine Corps EA-6B and E/A-18G electronic warfare aircrafts.
The contract continues funding for a third full rate production lot. The contract’s initial award procures 60 Low Band Transmitters and an associated number of antenna assemblies in a variety of configurations. This award brings the total number of production transmitters ordered to 217 of 292 required transmitters. To date 80 transmitters have been delivered.
The AN/ALQ-99 Low Band Transmitter-Antenna Group (LBT-AG), developed by Cobham Sensor Systems, has been in production since 2005. The LBT is designed to protect strike aircraft, ships, and ground troops by disrupting enemy radar and communications.
It is flown on US Navy EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G aircraft and Marine Corps EA-6B aircraft, and is heavily used in current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“This award continues a long tradition of Cobham support to the Navy’s mission success,” said Andy Humen, VP of Cobham Sensor Systems. “Our support to the Navy extends beyond Airborne Electronic Warfare. This Low Band Transmitter award complements our other ALQ-99 work, our success on the Next Generation Jammer, the Next Generation Airborne Electronic Attack study, and the fleet’s Integrated Topside (InTop) and Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP).”
The $46 million fixed price contract was competitively procured. Deliveries will continue immediately beyond the currently contracted Full Rate Production Lot 1 and 2 efforts, and are expected to continue through 2012. The contract also allows for up to four annual options to procure the balance of LBT-AG systems and associated spares.