Jay Clemens
Northrop Grumman has won a potential five-year, $39.3 million contract to develop a beam control technology for integration into the laser weapons system for a tactical pod on a U.S. Air Force fighter jet.
The Defense Department said Tuesday the effort is part of the Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator Turret Research in Aero-Effects program that will work to collect data during engagement scenarios.
The project, which will run for up to 60 months, aims to study aero-optic disturbances in a supersonic environment, according to the Air Force’s solicitation notice published in August 2015.
Northrop will perform work in Redondo Beach, California and at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico through Aug. 31, 2021.
The Air Force received three offers for the contract and obligated $9.2 million from its fiscal 2016 research, development, test and evaluation funds at the time of award.
