Northrop Grumman lands contract worth up to $81 million to support VADER ‘man-hunters’

The Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland plans to issue a sole source award worth up to $81.1 million to Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems Corp. to procure systems and provide support to deploy the “man-hunting” Vehicle and Dismount Exploitation Radar (VADER) used by the Army to provide surveillance at Forward Operating Bases in Afghanistan.

Northrop Grumman will be expected to provide technical support services, material, engineering support, equipment retrofits, and technical and “reach-back” support, according to a presolicitation notice issued by the contracting command at Aberdeen.

“Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, says the notice.

The contract will be awarded on behalf of the “Sensors Airborne Measurement and Signature Intelligence and Radars” (SAMR) program. It will be a three-year, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract, the notice explains.

“The VADER Payload System is composed of the VADER Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) / DMTI / GMTI Radar and the VADER Exploitation Ground Station (VEGS) hardware and software components,” says the notice. “The VADER Payload SAR / DMTI / GMTI radar is comprised of an antenna pod and receiver-exciter processor.”

Companies that believe they have the capabilities to fulfill these technical requirements can contact the Army until March 25.

Further information is available from Christopher Fisher at christopher.m.fisher24.civ@mail.mil.