Northrop Grumman to supply radio communications system for UK MoD's Camp Bastion Airfield, Afghanistan

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Europe-based air traffic management systems subsidiary, Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems, has been awarded a contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide a ground-to-air voice radio system for air traffic control operations at the MoD's Camp Bastion airfield in Helmand Province, the main handling airfield for UK operations in Afghanistan.

The complete radio system, which will include the T6 VHF /UHF transmitter and receiver equipment, will be fitted into deployable mobile cabins designed to be air-lifted into theatre. The cabins will be fitted out at Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems' facility in Market Deeping, UK. This approach will ensure rapid insertion into current air traffic operations with a delivery target of late 2010.

An emergency radio system will also be provided in the new air traffic control tower being built at the Camp Bastion Airfield. A communications training programme based at Royal Air Force (RAF) Leeming will also be supplied under the contract.

"Our high performance ground-to-air communications systems will help improve the effectiveness of air traffic management operations at Bastion airfield," said Sir Nigel Essenhigh, chief executive, Northrop Grumman Information Systems Europe. "We are pleased to be part of the programme of equipment enhancements being put in place to support the complex and intense air operations at Bastion."

Camp Bastion airfield was set up in April 2006 by the RAF Tactical Air Traffic Control Unit and has now become one of the busiest UK-operated airports. Combat operations, medical evacuations and logistics sustainment flights all operate from this vital military hub and the air traffic controllers based at Camp Bastion are integral to the support of the UK's operations in southern Afghanistan.

Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems communications equipment is used extensively throughout the MoD, on naval ships, shore stations and at RAF bases. The company currently provides through life support to the MoD for air traffic control equipment and in-service support for VHF and UHF radios used by the Royal Navy and RAF. The company has also supplied T6 air traffic management radio equipment into Kandahar, Afghanistan on behalf of NATO.

Source: Northrop Grumman

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