Northrop Grumman has received a $124 million award to provide personnel for expanded operations of Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) sense-and-warn systems in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The $124 million contract comprises two portions: the $76 million first-year option of the task order for Afghanistan operations first announced August 2010 and issued under the Encore II contract vehicle from the Defense Information Systems Agency at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.; and $48 million for increased tasking in Afghanistan and to provide personnel for C-RAM sense-and-warn operations in Iraq.

Since initial fielding more than six years ago, the C-RAM system is credited with saving hundreds of lives through its ability to provide early warning of incoming indirect fire.

Working closely with the U.S. Army, Northrop Grumman helped to take the C-RAM capability from concept to reality in less than 18 months. C-RAM is maintaining its purpose to protect troops serving Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

"C-RAM continues to demonstrate its value on the battlefield saving lives," said Mike Twyman, vice president of integrated command, control, communications and intelligence systems for Northrop Grumman Information Systems.

"We are proud to continue our collaboration with the Army to bring ever-evolving force protection capabilities to those in harm's way."

C-RAM uses sensor, command and control (C2) and visualization tools to detect threatening objects and locate the sources of incoming fire.

Once the threat is confirmed, its C2 system provides accurate warning to exposed soldiers and other personnel. Simultaneously, the C2 system provides correlated track data to the intercept system to negate the incoming RAM threat.

Additionally, the C2 system passes point of origin and point of impact information on to other systems and sensors to aid the proper response.