Northrop Grumman has received a $31.2 million contract from the U.S. Army to modernize the Joint Tactical Ground Station (JTAGS) and improve the warfighter's theater missile warning capability.

The pre-planned product improvement contract includes initial development with several optional production and sustainment efforts expected to continue through 2022.

"Northrop Grumman has a longstanding relationship with the JTAGS program and has partnered with the Army to support its critical mission," said Ed Bush, vice president of Northrop Grumman's C4ISR Networked Systems business unit.

"The enhanced JTAGS system will provide improved detection and reporting of theater ballistic missiles and improved missile defense and situational awareness capabilities anywhere in the world."

JTAGS is a relocatable information processing system that receives and processes in-theater, infrared data down-linked from Defense Support Program Space Based Infrared and other satellite sensors.

The system disseminates warning, alerting and cueing information on tactical ballistic missiles and other tactical events of interest throughout the theater using multiple communications networks.

Work will be performed at Northrop Grumman's Colorado Springs, Colo., and Azusa, Calif., facilities.