Northrop Grumman announced that it has been selected by the NATO C3 Agency (NC3A) to provide hardware and software support services for the roll-out of the Maritime Command and Control Information System (MCCIS) across NATO countries. The MCCIS merges information gathered from satellites, wide area networks, computerized tactical data processors and machine-readable messages to create a common operating environment for maritime and other assets.

It is integrated by NATO support staff and includes commercial-off-the-shelf products together with NATO-developed applications. The MCCIS is installed in every NATO maritime headquarters, which includes more than 300 workstations.

"This program will strengthen our footprint and allow us to deliver C2 capability into every NATO country," said Paul Davison, managing director and vice-president of Northrop Grumman Mission Systems Europe. "The decision by NATO demonstrates its continued confidence in our European team."

Under the new MCCIS proliferation contract, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems Europe will survey and manage the procurement, installation and activation of the new equipment baseline for the MCCIS to 47 NATO and other nation sites.

The contract, which forms part of the MCCIS stabilization program, will provide equipment for development, reference, support and operational use and will include Northrop Grumman's advanced data link simulation capabilities.

Hewlett-Packard as principal subcontractor will provide the information technology equipment required to implement the new services in 21 countries.

"This program is an essential requirement for future NATO interoperability, and I am sure the good working relationship that has developed over the existing program will ensure Northrop Grumman's successful delivery of the MCCIS proliferation contract," said Amaury Aubree-Dauchez, NC3A principal project manager.

The MCCIS stabilization program is part of the Bi-Strategic Command Automated Information System (Bi-SC AIS) portfolio, one of the largest NATO common-funded programs resulting from the 1999 Washington summit and re-enforced by the Prague summit in 2002. It includes more than 100 projects funded by a dozen capability packages, implemented by several host nations and helps establish the foundation of the NATO Automated Information System.

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems Europe has provided its Interoperable C4I Services software and other related products to NATO and participating nations as the core components of the MCCIS system since 1997. C4I and Link capability provided under the MCCIS contract is a core capability of Northrop Grumman and is also supplied into other systems in the UK, USA and more than 40 nations worldwide.

In 2006 it expanded its role with NATO to take in-house the NATO developed software and stabilize it to provide the foundation of the MCCIS stabilization program. The software delivered under this existing contract will provide the system capabilities for the new equipment baseline.

The NATO C3 Agency helps the alliance focus its common-funded programs, together with nationally funded initiatives, into a common coalition-based force. As NATO's designated C3 architect, NC3A works closely with national agencies and industry to ensure that the alliance gains maximum synergy from this process. The end goal is to deliver those viable forces that Allied Command Operations needs to execute the missions and tasks given to it by the North Atlantic Council.

In Europe, Northrop Grumman operates from locations in France, Germany, Italy and Norway, providing navigation, air traffic control and postal automation systems.

In the UK, Northrop Grumman operates from primary locations in London, Fareham, Chester, Coventry, New Malden, Peterborough, RAF Waddington and Solihull and provides avionics, communications, electronic warfare systems, marine navigation systems, robotics, C4ISR solutions and mission planning, aircraft whole life support, IT systems and software development.