BALTIMORE, Oct. 12, 2011 — Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) successfully demonstrated a virtualized capability for software-only processing, called the Virtualized Common Imagery Processor (vCIP), for use as a cost-saving upgrade to the Common Imagery Processor (CIP).
The vCIP demonstration took place at Northrop Grumman facilities in Linthicum, Md., for the members of the U.S. Department of Defense CIP Cross Service Integrated Product Team. The CIP is the standard image processor for use in the Defense Department. Northrop Grumman designed and built the CIP, which successfully replaced numerous stovepiped processing systems for tactical imagery platforms throughout the U.S. military.
"Introducing vCIP allows the CIP Program Office to field more efficient, less costly solutions for imagery analysts," said Edward J. Bush, vice president of Northrop Grumman’s C4ISR Network Systems business unit. "VCIP expands the warfighter’s ability to receive actionable intelligence both more efficiently and at a lower cost."
Northrop Grumman has continued to evolve the CIP to keep pace not only with new sensors, but also with new processing capabilities. The company’s CIP team repackaged its proven CIP software into a virtual machine environment and generated templates for all current sensor types that CIP handles.
"VCIP will provide the capability for imagery processing solutions and upgrades to be fielded directly on user-provided hardware with lower cost," said John Lynch, director of business development for Northrop Grumman’s C4ISR Network Systems business unit.
The demonstration consisted of running two separate missions simultaneously on standard commercial-off-the-shelf hardware. VCIP sent imagery products to an Imagery Product Library and registered associated metadata. VCIP also sent wireframes and tracks to several workstations, and output the information on a Google Earth display.
The vCIP provides the capability of using DoDIIS- and JITC-certified solutions to provide the intelligence community with the latest in software-only processing applications for a variety of ISR sensors. The vCIP also provides additional services and features like imagery chipping, output product formatting, improved geolocation accuracies and artifact correction. The vCIP is configurable based on individual user and mission requirements.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.