Longbow Fire Control Radar hardware for US Army and foreign customers


LONGBOW LLC and the U.S. Army have definitized contracts valued at $170.5 million to provide LONGBOW Fire Control Radar (FCR) hardware for Apache AH-64E helicopters supporting U.S. Army lots 7 and 8 plus three international customers. LONGBOW LLC is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman Corporation.


Longbow Fire Control Radar hardware for US Army and foreign customers 001 A LONGBOW FCR mounted above the rotors of a AH-64 Apache helicopter
(Credit: Lockheed Martin)


The contracts include LONGBOW FCR Mast Mounted Assemblies (MMA), Radar Electronics Units (REU) and spares for the U.S. Army, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, making Qatar the 13th international customer to receive LONGBOW FCR. Production will extend through April 2021 at Lockheed Martin's Orlando and Ocala, Fla., facilities and at Northrop Grumman's Baltimore, Maryland, facility.

"We remain focused on delivering significant upgrades and products as quickly and efficiently as possible," said Jim Messina, LONGBOW LLC president and director of LONGBOW programs at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "This contract allows us to supply the U.S. Army fleet with REUs, which is the foundation for future enhancements like extended range, maritime mode and unmanned aerial systems detection."

"The LONGBOW FCR REU continues to provide outstanding capabilities to our customers," said Susan Bruce, LONGBOW LLC vice president and vice president Advanced Tactical Systems, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. "The REU provides growth capabilities to LONGBOW FCR while reducing space, weight and power, along with maintenance cost."

The MMA and REU are key components of the LONGBOW FCR. The LONGBOW FCR automatically searches, detects, locates, classifies and prioritizes multiple moving or stationary targets on land or in the air, in clear or adverse weather, and in obscured battlefields – giving commanders the precision engagement capabilities necessary to win the battle.