Northrop Grumman to Supply Integrated Navigation Systems for RAN Canberra Amphibious Ships

Released on Monday, August 25, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Aug. 25, 2008 - Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a contract by Tenix Pty Limited, of Melbourne, Australia, to supply integrated navigation systems for two new large amphibious assault ships to be built for the Royal Australian Navy.

The contract awarded to Northrop Grumman's Sperry Marine business unit calls for the supply of a state-of-the-art suite of navigation systems and sensors for the two new Canberra-class landing helicopter dock (LHD) ships. It is valued at $8.4 million (USD). The contract also includes engineering and technical support for configuration, installation, commissioning, a land-based test site, and sea trials.

The navigation systems will include two Sperry Marine MK39 Mod 3A ring laser gyro navigator (RLGN) inertial navigation systems. The RLGN units will be integrated with the ship's radars, electronic charting system, autopilot, steering control, speed and depth sensors, GPS and DGPS positioning systems, automatic identification systems, voyage data recorder and other systems and sensors using Sperry Marine's NavDDS data distribution network.

"This important award solidifies Sperry Marine's position as a key supplier of advanced navigation technology for the Australian Navy as well as other international navies and coast guard forces," said J. Nolasco DaCunha, vice president of Sperry Marine, who noted that Sperry Marine was also recently selected to supply the Integrated Bridge System and integrated navigation system for the U.K. Royal Navy's next-generation future aircraft carriers.

The two ships, to be named HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide, are being constructed for the Royal Australian Navy by a joint venture of Tenix and Spanish shipbuilder Navantia. The hulls will be built at Navantia's shipyard in Ferrol, Spain. They will be transported by heavy-lift ship to Tenix's Williamstown shipyard in Australia, where the superstructure will be added and the ship systems will be installed.

The new LHDs will provide the Australian Defence Force with increased naval aviation capabilities, allowing it to conduct a wide range of operations, including high-end amphibious war fighting scenarios, projection of land forces and humanitarian relief. The 27,822-ton ships will carry landing craft that are transported in a well-dock, which can be flooded when they are required and have six helicopter spots on a large flight deck that can support a range of helicopters and can also be used to launch fixed-wing unmanned aerial reconnaissance planes. They can transport up to 150 vehicles, including the new M1A1 Abrams tanks. Maximum troop capacity is more than 1,100 fully armed. The ships' extensive medical facilities will include two operating theaters and a fully equipped hospital ward.

Sperry Marine, headquartered in Charlottesville, Va., and with major engineering and support offices in New Malden, United Kingdom and Hamburg, Germany, provides smart navigation and ship control solutions for the international marine industry with customer service and support through offices in 16 countries, sales representatives in 47 countries and authorized service depots in more than 250 locations worldwide.