Northrop Grumman wins JWARN contract

The Marine Corps has awarded a contract potentially worth $15 million to Northrop Grumman Corp. to provide technology for a next-generation chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense warning and reporting system.

The Joint Warning and Reporting Network (JWARN) is intended to warn of attacks by analyzing and disseminating specific chemical information. The system will provide early warnings through command, control, communications, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems and networks.

Northrop Grumman's Information Technology sector gets $5 million initially under the contract, and would get $15 million total over 5 years if all options are exercised.

"JWARN will provide our Joint Forces with a complete integrated analysis response capability in order to minimize the effect of (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) attacks," said Barry Rhine, president of defense mission systems at Northrop Grumman IT, in a statement.

The system will support a range of warning and reporting capabilities, including prevention, mitigation, response and recovery. It will also include a compatibility device that will allow existing and future sensors used to detect an attack to work with JWARN technology.

Work will be performed at the Northrop Grumman IT location in Winter Park, Fla.