Northrop Grumman to study MUOS integration on E-2D

The Navy intends to award a contract to Northrop Grumman to study the feasibility of integrating the service's next-generation satellite communications system into the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, according to a Federal Business Opportunities notice.

E-2D contractor Northrop will "perform a technical study to determine the feasibility for the integration of the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) capability on both dual SATCOM channels on the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye," according to the notice. The contract's anticipated award date is Aug. 28, and the work will be performed August 2019 to May 2020.

MUOS is the Defense Department's narrow band military satellite communications system, and one of the few space systems overseen by the Navy.

The service will prepare MUOS for Multi-Service Operational Test and Evaluation-2B this fiscal year in preparation for full operational capability in FY-20. That test is the result of the program being declared "not operationally effective or suitable" in June 2016 by DOD’s weapon testers, according to Navy budget justification documents. The program’s original FOC goal was January 2017.

In FY-19, the service requested $39 million for the program element containing the satellite constellation with $20 million set aside for MUOS. Lawmakers appropriated $34 million citing "management services excess growth."