US Navy Selects Northrop Grumman for Ship Self-Defense System

The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation a $12 million task order for a full range of engineering services to continue modernizing the Ship Self-Defense System Mark 2 (SSDS MK2). The contract has a potential value of $61 million over five years, if all options are exercised.

SSDS MK2 is a combat system designed for anti-air defense of U.S. and coalition partner aircraft carriers and amphibious ships. The system coordinates the ship's existing sensors, self-defense weapons and countermeasures to shorten the detect-to-engage cycle.

"The system is critical to enhance the self-defense capabilities of the Navy's aircraft carriers and amphibious ships," said Mike Barrett, director, maritime combat systems, Northrop Grumman Information Systems. "It's important we continue migrating toward COTS [commercial off-the-shelf] equipment to improve performance and enable increased cybersecurity."

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