Northrop receives full-rate JCREW production contract

Northrop Grumman has received a $57.7 million contract from the US Navy for full-rate production of the Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) Increment One Build One systems, the company announced on 12 September.

The contract includes options which if exercised would bring the total value to $505 million. Work will be complete by August 2022.

JCREW is a software-programmable jammer that provides protection from device-triggered improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Northrop Grumman has developed dismounted, mounted and fixed-site variants to protect soldiers on foot, vehicles and permanent structures.

JCREW systems also provide protection from UAS in support of the growing counter-UAS mission.

Jeannie Hilger, VP, communications business, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, said: ‘JCREW is a crucial capability that’s urgently needed in the field to protect our warfighters. The system developed by Northrop Grumman is exceedingly effective at defeating the innumerable immediate IED threats and designed for rapid updating to defeat new threats.

‘The open architecture design allows us to get this critical capability to the warfighter most quickly and to ensure, once deployed; it remains the most potent protection.’