Northrop Grumman Corp. was awarded a $462-million modernization contract for the U.S. Army’s RC-12 Guardrail precision targeting and intelligence platform.

Northrop said the contract will run for an initial five years, with one five-year option, extending the Guardrail’s operational life beyond 2020.

The Guardrail aircraft is used for intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance, the Los Angeles-based defense contractor said.