Contract: Northrop, $276.3M

The Air Force awarded a contract to Northrop Grumman for $276,281,235 to provide the rapid fielding and support of a communications network for military drones – the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node System. The system will be installed on three Bombardier BD-700 Global Express and two Global Hawk Block 20 aircraft. 653d ELSG/PK, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/24/09) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.