[SatNews] The U.S. Navy has selected Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) as one of five contractors for the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) full deployment production contract to upgrade cybersecurity, command and control, communications and intelligence (C4I) systems across the fleet.

The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity multiple award contract has a potential value of $2.5 billion over eight years. The CANES program eliminates many legacy, standalone networks and provides a common computing environment for dozens of C4I applications. This strengthens the network infrastructure, improves security, reduces existing hardware footprint and decreases total ownership costs. The CANES effort enhances operational effectiveness and quality of life for deployed sailors. Northrop Grumman uses the Modular Open Systems Approach-Competitive™ process for its CANES solution to achieve the lifecycle benefits of open-systems architecture and commercial off-the-shelf components and software. The strategic business and engineering process ensures vendor-neutral, enduring solutions that improve interoperability and lower the total cost of ownership.

"CANES is a significantly faster, more secure and flexible network," said Dave Wegmann, director, maritime command and control systems, Northrop Grumman Information Systems. "Our original network design remains important to ensure CANES affordability and agility in delivering the next generation of C4I capabilities."

The Navy selected Northrop Grumman for the design and development and limited deployment phase of CANES in early 2012.

The Northrop Grumman infosite may be accessed at http://www.northropgrumman.com/Capabilities/CANES/Pages/default.aspx