Chandler’s Northrop Grumman leads team given missile defense contract
Mar 27, 2021, 7:00 AM
(Facebook Photo/Northrop Grumman Corporation)
(Facebook Photo/Northrop Grumman Corporation)
PHOENIX — Northrop Grumman Corporation announced Thursday that it has been awarded a contract by the Missile Defence Agency for the Next Generation Inceptor program.
The contract will be for the flight test and rapid development of an interceptor that is designed to defend the country against the most complex long-ranged threats, according to a press release.
The Next Generation Inceptor program is part of the Missile Defense Agency’s ground-based midcourse defense system, the primary U.S. missile defense system used against long-range ballistic missile attacks, according to the release.
“Supporting the Missile Defense Agency in protecting our homeland is something we’ve been doing in Arizona for nearly 20 years on the ground-based interceptor program,” Northrop Grumman launch vehicles vice president Rich Strake said in the release.
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“We are proud to continue serving our nation as we build the Next Generation Interceptor, bringing many new jobs, as well as career growth opportunities for our current employees and ensuring Arizona remains a vital contributor to our nation’s defense.”
Northrop Grumman has teamed up with Raytheon Missiles & Defense — a business of Raytheon Technologies — in order to meet the accelerated schedule set by the Missile Defense Agency.
The duo currently provides the nation’s ground-based midcourse defense system with interceptor booster, kill vehicle, ground systems, fire control and engagement coordination, according to the release.
In 2019, Northrop Grumman moved into a 633,000-square-foot facility on its 47-acre campus in Chandler’s Price Corridor.
The company employs approximately 2,500 people.
“Our campus enables the agile design and manufacturing processes we are using for (Next Generation Inceptor),” Strake said.
“We also focused on employee engagement and collaboration with the design, including common areas, a restaurant-style café, gym and other unique features that help us find and retain our world-class workforce.”
