The Office of Naval Research has awarded Northrop Grumman [NOC] a potential $98 million contract over five years to apply its solid-state laser systems expertise to demonstrate a laser weapon system to defeat a wide range of threats. The company plans to demonstrate by the end of 2010 a laser weapon system for use in a marine environment that can defeat small boat threats. “Northrop Grumman uniquely has proven its expertise in addressing key issues for laser power scaling so that the response meets the level of the threat,” says Steve Hixson, vice president of Advanced Concepts-Space and Directed Energy Systems for the company’s Aerospace Sector. The initial valued of the contract is $500,000, which will expire at the end of September and allow Northrop Grumman to complete the critical design review for the demonstration.