CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Jan. 11, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) finished assembly of Engineering Control System (ECS) Distributed Control Units (DCUs) and Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) for the first two ship sets for the DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class Destroyer Program nearly six months ahead of schedule and under budget.
The ECS takes in all of the destroyer's hull, mechanical and electrical (HME) signals, which come from a wide variety of systems such as the fire detection systems and the integrated power plant. The RTU then distributes the signals to the DCU for analysis and control.
The company produced and assembled two shipsets of 16 DCUs and 180 RTUs each, for a total of 392 units. The shipsets will be installed in the first two destroyers, the USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) and the USS Monsoor (DDG 1001). The systems were delivered to prime contractor Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (NYSE:RTN), which is the Navy's systems integrator for the program. As the Navy's next-generation destroyer, the Zumwalt-class destroyer program is managed by PMS 500, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).
The cost-plus-incentive-fee contract was awarded to Northrop Grumman in July 2008 with a scheduled completion date of May 31, 2011. Production and assembly of the units were completed 23 weeks ahead of schedule. Inspection and sell-off tasks will be completed in the weeks to come. Through a different contract, Northrop Grumman is also developing ensemble software for the DCUs.
"These Engineering Control System units will reduce the onboard manpower required, which serves one of the Navy's key Zumwalt-class goals," said William B. Hannon, vice president of Northrop Grumman Maritime Systems. "By collecting and distributing thousands of electronic signals, the ECS will monitor and control perhaps the most comprehensive automation system in the Navy fleet."
"This extensive automation will save the Navy money not only through reduced manpower, but also through lower life-cycle costs," Hannon added.
The early completion was celebrated at Northrop Grumman's Maritime Systems facility in Charlottesville on November 17. Executives from Northrop Grumman and Raytheon were joined by program officials from the Navy at the event.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit for more information.
CONTACT: Tom Delaney Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems (410) 993-6454 thomas.delaney@ngc.com
