Study Contract Awarded for Navy's EPX Program

The U.S. Navy has awarded a study contract to Northrop Grumman Corporation, working with L-3 Communications, for the Navy's EPX aircraft program. EPX is envisioned as a shore-based, manned aircraft providing intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting (ISR&T) support to carrier strike groups and theater, combatant, and national commanders. The contract is valued at $1.25 million.

The Navy initiated a competition in November 2007 to study the replacement of its EP-3E signals intelligence aircraft fleet and the expansion of its mission capability. The Navy currently has 16 of the EP-3E planes in service. The planes are loaded with electronic gear used for spy missions. This contract, the first step in the Navy's multiyear selection process for the EPX system, calls for development of a preferred system concept and analysis of the associated risks and requirements.

"This competition is about more than replacing an aircraft," says Patricia McMahon, vice president of Information Operations and Electronic Attack for Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector. "It's about transforming Navy warfighters' ability to perform the ISR&T mission and share that information with joint and allied forces. EPX will develop the capability to execute an evolving set of missions, and no one understands those missions better than Northrop Grumman and L-3."

Work on the study will be conducted in Bethpage and Waco, TX and results are expected to be delivered in five months. northropgrumman.com