Northrop Grumman has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Navy to supply three AN/SPQ-9B radar systems for amphibious and Arleigh Burke class ships.

Under the $20.4 million contract award, Northrop Grumman will supply three AN/SPQ-9B radar systems for delivery in the second quarter of 2015. This contract adds to the 53 radar systems the company has already delivered, or is under contract to deliver. Northrop Grumman began low-rate initial production of the AN/SPQ-9B in 2000 and full-rate production in 2004.

This latest series of radars will be installed on the LPD-27, LHA-7 and DDG-79 ships. The latter will be the first guided missile destroyer (DDG) to be modernized, which will lead the way for installation of the AN/SPQ-9B radars onto the upcoming Flight III DDG-51 destroyers.

"This is a significant step for Northrop Grumman because it leads the way for a potential of more than 60 DDG-51 radar backfits as well 16 forward fits on the next Flight III destroyers," said Bill Hannon, vice president of Northrop Grumman's Maritime Systems business unit.

"The AN/SPQ-9B's performance supplies greater radar capability to surface ships, and represents another milestone in our long term legacy of supplying radars to the Navy."

The high-resolution, X-band AN/SPQ-9B radar system will greatly improve the vessels' ability to defend against small high-speed threats, such as surface-skimming anti-ship missiles, and will be integrated with the ships' fire-control systems.

The multimission radar system is designed to detect small fast-moving targets in the presence of clutter from ocean waves, rain and land returns, as well as chaff and jamming.

The work will be performed at Northrop Grumman's facilities in Baltimore beginning in the second quarter of 2014.