U.S. Navy chooses Northrop Grumman for ship self-defense system

The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman Corp. a $12 million task order for a full range of engineering services to continue modernizing the Ship Self-Defense System Mark 2 (SSDS MK2). The contract has a potential value of $61 million over five years, if all options are exercised.

SSDS MK2 is a combat system designed for anti-air defense of U.S. and coalition partner aircraft carriers and amphibious ships. The system coordinates the ship’s existing sensors, self-defense weapons and countermeasures to shorten the detect-to-engage cycle.

“The system is critical to enhance the self-defense capabilities of the Navy’s aircraft carriers and amphibious ships,” said Mike Barrett, director, maritime combat systems at Northrop Grumman Information Systems. “It’s important we continue migrating toward COTS [commercial off-the-shelf] equipment to improve performance and enable increased cybersecurity.”

The task order was awarded under the SeaPort-e indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract vehicle. Under the direction of the Combat Direction Systems Activity (CDSA), Dam Neck, Virginia Beach, the company will provide life cycle engineering, system engineering and integration, and hardware prototype development. Replacing obsolete components with open systems COTS computing hardware will allow adaptable deployment of more current and secure capabilities.

With the SSDS MK2 program, Northrop Grumman continues its decade-long collaboration with CDSA delivering flexible, quality engineering services for naval combat systems.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide.