Northrop Gains $126.2 Million To Improve Space Tracking and Surveillance System

The Air Force gave Northrop Grumman Corp. [NOC] a $126.2 million contract change to shore up the Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) that is designed to track enemy missiles.

Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp., of Redondo Beach, Calif., needs the money to cover expenses such as double or triple shifts and an expanded payroll.

The company will perform activities toward rebaselining the STSS program for fiscal years 2005 through 2008 due to funding restrictions.

Fiscal year funding constraints require work content to be prioritized and time phased differently from the current block 6 performance baseline.

As a result, in order for Northrop to regain schedule, its costs for items such as personnel will increase.

Northrop also will perform additional government-directed testing to improve mission assurance.

Work is to be complete by June 2008, under the contract, which is managed by Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif.