Merger plans and antitrust lawsuits aside, life goes on at th local division of Northrop Grumman Corp., which has won two military contracts in the past week.

The Electronic Sensors & Systems Division in Linthicum, known as ESSD, won a $3.8 million job supplying computerized training equipment to AAI Corp. of Hunt Valley.

AAI is putting together training sets for Air Force technicians to practice servicing radar equipment from AWACS surveillance and communications planes. The Northrop Grumman division will develop six radar control maintenance consoles for the trainers and one set of prime mission equipment mock-ups.

The job represents a new line of work for the division. With options, the contract could reach $11.6 million.

The division also has won a contract worth $4.3 million to supply missile warning systems to 11 helicopters for the Royal Australian Navy. The Passive Missile Approach Warning System will warn Super SeaSprite helicopter pilots of incoming missiles and trigger defense mechanisms.

ESSD is angling for similar contracts in Asia.

Pub Date: 6/10/98