The U.S. Navy will gain insight into the technical risks, challenges and operational benefits of developing a new fleet of unmanned carrier-launched surveillance and strike (UCLASS) aircraft through a study contract awarded June 23 to Northrop Grumman.
The nine-month contract, worth approximately $500,000, was one of four related contracts awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Patuxent River, Md.
Under terms of the study contract, Northrop Grumman will support pre-Milestone A activities including developing concepts of operation for a UCLASS system; defining system design and architecture concepts capable of meeting the Navy's desired 2018 Limited Operational Capability; and conducting a cost-schedule-performance analysis of alternative approaches to implementing the proposed UCLASS system.
Under the contract, the company will also help the Navy analyze the relative maturity and near-term availability of UCLASS-relevant technologies; and address system affordability issues by identifying ways to shorten key development, test, and certification timelines.