Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum, Maryland, is awarded a $245,789,116 modification for the firm-fixed-price portion of a previously awarded contract. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $963,173,943. This modification provides for the exercise of five option contract line items to procure eight Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar systems, and associated spares, data, and travel in support of Program Executive Officer Land Systems, Quantico, Virginia. Work will be performed in Linthicum, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in January 2025. Fiscal 2022 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $245,789,116 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract modification was not competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
The AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) is the United States Marine Corps next generation Air Surveillance/Air Defense and Air Traffic Control (ATC) Radar. The mobile active electronically scanned array radar system is currently being developed by Northrop Grumman and was expected to reach initial operating capability in August 2016. The Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) is a single materiel solution for the mobile Multi-Role Radar System and Ground Weapons Locating Radar (GWLR) requirements. It is a three-dimensional, short/medium range multi-role radar designed to detect unmanned aerial systems, cruise missiles, air breathing targets, rockets, artillery, and mortars. G/ATOR satisfies the warfighter’s expeditionary needs across the Marine Air-Ground Task Force spectrum replacing five legacy radar systems with a single solution.
Development of the G/ATOR began in September 2005 when the Marine Corps awarded a $7.9 million contract to Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems. Initial design requirements required planning for short-range air surveillance, counter-battery fire and target acquisition, and sensor networking. The requirement also required Block 1 to allow for incremental implementation of the following blocks without equipment or software redesign. In 2009, a $14 million cost overrun for the G/ATOR, attributed to requirements creep and increasing cost of scarce materials required in advanced electronic components. In 2012 the Marine Corps and Northrop Grumman began Block 2 development, beginning with upgrading the Block 1 equipment and software for performing GWLR requirements. The G/ATOR program obtained a successful Milestone C decision in March 2014. In October 2014, a 207.3 million dollar low rate initial production (LRIP) contract was awarded to Northrop Grumman for the first lot of four systems.
The five Marine Corps legacy radar systems being replaced by this multi-function capability include: the AN/TPS-63 (air defense), AN/TPS-73 (air-traffic control), AN/MPQ-62 (short range air defense), AN/TPQ-46 (counter-fire target acquisition) and UPS-3 (target tracking). Additionally, it will augment the AN/TPS-59 long-range radar. The Program Executive Office (PEO), Land Systems Marine Corps is executing the G/ATOR program as an evolutionary acquisition program consisting of four capabilities, referred to as blocks.
Block 1 will complete the primary material system acquisition and can support the short-range air defense and air surveillance mission.
Block 2 will include software to perform the missions of ground counter-battery/fire control.
Block 3 capabilities are not currently defined or resourced, and have been deferred indefinitely.
Block 4 will provide air traffic control capabilities (Expeditionary Airport Surveillance Radar).
