The Navy late last month awarded Northrop Grumman [NOC] a $96.5 million modification to exercise options for full-rate production of the Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIEDO Electronic Warfare (JCREW) system.
The award covers Increment One Block One systems in full-rate production to support the Expeditionary Warfare Program office, PMS-408.
JCREW is a jammer that seeks to defend against radio-controlled IEDs to protect foot soldiers, vehicles, and structures. Increment One Build One are the first generation systems that develop a common open architecture across all three defensive capabilities.
That integrated design is meant to maximize commonality, reduce lifecycle costs, and provide increased protection against global threats. JCREW will be used to help defend the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.
This work will largely occur in San Diego and is expected to be finished by April 2020.
This award comes almost a year after Northrop Grumman won its first Navy award for the first full-rate production contract of JCREW systems for $58 million (Defense Daily, Aug. 1, 2017).
The original contract included options that could ultimately increase the total award to $500 million.
The Navy and Northrop Grumman would not comment on the number of systems JCREW they are building, but the company previously said it is making both mounted and dismounted versions.