DTN News - U.S. DOD: Naval Air Systems Command Awarded Contract $42 Million To Northrop Grumman For Maintenance And Services In Support of 44 F-5N/F Aircraft
Source: DTN News + U.S. DoD No: CR-055-15 Dated March 25, 2015(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 27, 2015: Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., St. Augustine, Florida, is being awarded a $42,096,911 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-14-D-0022) to provide depot level maintenance and services in support of 44 F-5N/F aircraft for the Navy and Marine Corps Reserves.
Services to be provided include aircraft inspections, repairs, overhauls, emergency repairs, modification, engineering support and procurement of structural components required to sustain continued safe, reliable, and available operations.
Work will be performed in St. Augustine, Florida (96 percent); Springville, Utah (3 percent); and Emmen, Switzerland (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in March 2016.
Fiscal 2015 operations and maintenance (Navy Reserve) and 2013 National Guard and Reserve equipment funds in the amount of $2,499,866 are being obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Description
The F-5N is a single seat, twin-engine, tactical fighter and attack aircraft providing simulated air-to-air combat training manufactured by Northrop Grumman Corporation. The F-5F is a dual-seat version, twin-engine, tactical fighter commonly used for training and adversary combat tactics. The aircraft serves in an aggressor-training role with simulation capability of current threat aircraft in fighter combat mode.
Features
As a tactical fighter aircraft, the F-5N accommodates a pilot only in a pressurized, heated and air conditioned cockpit and rocket-powered ejection seat while the F-5F is a two-seat combat- capable fighter. This aircraft has an upward opening canopy, which is hinged at the rear. The design places particular emphasis on maneuverability rather than high speed, notably by the incorporation of maneuvering flaps. Full-span leading-edge flaps work in conjunction with trailing-edge flaps and are operated by a control on the pilot's throttle quadrant. The F-5 also has anti-skid brakes, Initial Navigation System (INS), ALR-87 Radar Warning Receivers (RWR), AN/APQ-159 radar and ALE-40 chaff/flare capability. This aircraft carries AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on wingtip launchers.
Background
The F-5 was developed by Northrop Grumman for export through the Military Assistance Program (MAP) in February 1965. This aircraft was initially offered as a candidate for a U.S. lightweight fighter, but became extremely popular as an export finding its niche in the overseas market. In December 1970, Northrop Grumman began development and production on the F-5A-21, an aircraft design that emphasized maneuverability rather than high speed and was officially reclassified as the F-5E. The F-5N/Fs are third-generation F-5 fighter aircraft designed for replacement of the F-5A/B/E production models. These aging aircraft will be replaced by low-houred F-5N/F acquired from the Swiss Air Force surplus by United States Navy (USN).
Currently, the Swiss F-5N Replacement Program replaces the present high-time Navy F-5Es with low-time F-5Ns allowing the USN/USMC to operate the F-5N aircraft to Fiscal Year (FY) 2015. The Phase Depot Maintenance (PDM) required modifications to USN configuration provides a safer, lower-flight time Adversary aircraft with increased capability for Department of Navy (DoN) pilots. These aircraft are assigned to Government facilities, namely, NAS Key West, Florida, MCAS Yuma, Arizona, and NAS Fallon, Nevada.
Service
USN, USMC, USAF and current worldwide air forces
*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources + U.S. DoD No: CR-055-15 Dated March 25, 2015
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*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com
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