Northrop Grumman’s Team OCX Submits Bid On The GPS Next Generation Control Segment Contract

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has submitted a proposal to compete for the U.S. Air Force’s Global Positioning System (GPS) Next Generation Control Segment (OCX) contract.

The Northrop Grumman Team OCX offers an innovative, low-risk solution that partners an experienced industry team with the government to modernize GPS command and control (C2) and to enable effects-based operations.

The OCX modernization effort will provide mission enterprise control support for the nation’s existing GPS Block II and future Block III satellites. Northrop Grumman’s experienced and proven team will provide a fresh perspective and time-certain delivery of the best value GPS solutions for the nation’s warfighters and millions of civil, commercial, and international users, who are increasingly dependent on the availability and accuracy of this capability. Under an Air Force risk reduction effort, Northrop Grumman has since 2005 supported the study of state-of-the-art capabilities in satellite control segment software and hardware architecture and developed innovative architectures to meet OCX performance requirements.

“As the GPS OCX lead executive for Northrop Grumman, I share the Air Force vision for GPS modernization,” said Jerry B. Agee, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman’s Mission Systems sector. “Our team is positioned to revolutionize the operational responsiveness, availability, survivability and accuracy of global GPS services. Our approach is designed to resolve current control segment issues and to enhance the overall mission performance of GPS.”

If selected, Northrop Grumman will lead Team OCX as prime contractor in partnership with Harris Corporation, Melbourne, Fla.; Integral Systems, Inc., Lanham, Md.; and General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Dayton, Ohio; and several key specialty small businesses and vendors such as Infinity Systems Engineering, Colorado Springs, Colo., and Applied Minds, Glendale, Calif. This team is exceptionally well qualified to meet and exceed OCX mission requirements and brings strong past performance, deep domain expertise in space, ground C2 and GPS, and industry-leading competencies in software development and systems engineering, integration, and test.

To lead Team OCX, Northrop Grumman has chosen Steve Bergjans as the GPS OCX program manager. Bergjans, a company vice president and proven program manager, has 32 years of leadership experience in key programs to include Space Radar, Space Surveillance and Tracking System and Space-Based Infrared System-Low.

“Steve is the ideal leader to guide this team, leverage its expertise, and eliminate mission risk. We have no doubt this is the right team to provide the Air Force the best partner, the best design and integration approach, the most open and collaborative program management, and the freshest, most innovative approach,” said Robert A. Pattishall, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman Surveillance and Reconnaissance Division.