Northrop Grumman to provide gen II mission computers for U.S. Navy's H-1 upgrade helicopter program

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., 31 Jan. 2013. Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC), a global security company, has been selected by the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command to provide Gen II mission computers for the H-1 upgrade helicopter program.

Under the $9.3 million order, Northrop Grumman will supply Gen II mission computers and trays for the H-1 upgrade program's Lot 10 production aircraft. Deliveries are expected to be completed by January 2015.

Dual mission computers are the core of Northrop Grumman's integrated avionics system (IAS) that powers H-1 helicopters' glass cockpits. The mission computers provide centralized control of the IAS, interface with the tactical moving map, and display both situational awareness and health monitoring information. Additionally, the IAS and mission computers feature a modular architecture that allows for system upgrades and insertion of new technologies.

These high-performance mission computers have been used in support of ongoing missions such as Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

The mission computers will be used onboard UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopters that make up the Marine light attack helicopter squadrons. Critical mission data is shown on four displays to increase aircrew situational awareness.

The H-1 Upgrade program involves replacing aging AH-1W and UH-1N helicopters with upgraded UH-1Y and AH-1Z aircraft, providing improvements in commonality, reliability and maintainability. This reduces life cycle and training costs, and decreases the logistics footprint for both aircraft. The upgraded helicopters also have 100 percent software commonality through Northrop Grumman's IAS and the same operational flight program. Both the UH-1Y and AH-1Z are in full-rate production by Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.