Northrop Grumman Corp. of Redondo Beach, Calif., has received a contract from the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for the second phase of a program to develop the Advanced Track Illuminator Laser. The 5 1/2-year project aims to create a 6-kW-class solid-state pulsed laser with high beam quality. The second phase will last approximately 12 months, with two more phases to follow.