Northrop Grumman has received a contract from the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) for the delivery of AN/UPX-24(V) interrogator sets, in a bid to help improve ships’ situational awareness and threat identification capabilities.

Under the $11.5m firm-fixed-price follow-on production contract, the company will perform fabrication and testing, prior to supplying five open-architecture configured AN/UPX-24(V) identification friend or foe (IFF) processor sets.

The contract follows a previously awarded contract to Northrop for the delivery of shipboard interrogator sets.

“These new sets will augment the navy’s defences, providing greater protection for our men and women at sea."

Ike Song, Northrop Grumman’s situational awareness systems vice president, said: "These new sets will augment the navy’s defences, providing greater protection for our men and women at sea."

Designed to serve as a core component of the AN/UPX-29(V) shipboard interrogator system, the AN/UPX-24(V) interrogator set enables ships to identify whether aircraft or other vessels equipped with IFF transponders are friendly or unknown.

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Capable of determining quickly and accurately friendly aircraft to avoid accidental firing, the AN/UPX-24(V) provides target data to the command, control, communications, computer and intelligence system of the ship.

Following the transfer of data, the system delivers interrogation commands upon request for priority target identification, in addition to accepting transponder replies and generating target reports to a shipboard weapon system.

The AN/UPX-24(V) has been deployed onboard US Navy missile cruisers, destroyers, amphibious assault ships and aircraft carriers since 1979.

Systems are equipped with control monitor, a central processor-controller and up to 22 control indicators to support missions for the navy.

Deliveries of the ship sets for installation onboard the US Navy’s Aegis combat ships are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2014.