Engineered Support Systems, Inc. in St. Louis, MO has received a 3-year contract from the U.S. Army to provide a scaleable, highly-available, integrated, open-standards Command and Control Information Technology Infrastructure (C2ITI) for the Multi-National Forces – Iraq (MNF-I), the Coalition military command providing for security in Iraq at the request of the Iraqi Government.
Federal Computer Weekly profiles Kevin Carroll. The Army’s top information technology official runs the Army’s Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems (PEO-EIS). This office will manage almost $36 billion in information technology contracts in upcoming years, including:
Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, CA has received a $41.7 million cost-plus fixed-fee contract modification to replan around some funding and technology issues for the Transformation Communications Satellite (TSAT) system, and incorporate the development of information assurance products for transmission security, telemetry tracking and command crypto. FY 2005 funding had been reduced by $90 million from $202 million to $112 million (-45%), while FY 2006 funding was increased by $50 million (+25%) from $200 million to $250 million.
TSAT will be one of the key enablers for the American vision and doctrine of Network Centric Warfare.
The Transformation Communications Satellite (TSAT) System is intended to provide internet-like capability that extends high-bandwidth satellite capabilities to deployed troops worldwide, and deliver an order of magnitude increase in available military bandwidth. Lockheed Martin’s competitor Raytheon Co. recently provided an initial look at the software environment it is preparing in a bid to provide the integrated ground stations and networks for the TSAT system.
The USA isn’t the only country with a Future Soldier/Land Warrior type program that aims to equip its infantry for the 21st century. “Europe’s Future Infantry” at eDefense Online looks at current trends and programs in a number of European countries with similar programs.
Efforts covered include Germany’s Infanterist der Zukunft, France’s FELIN (Fantassin a Equipements et Liaisons Integrees; or Integrated Soldier Equipment and Communications), the UK’s Future Integrated Soldier Technology (FIST) program, the more gradual approach of the Dutch Soldier Modernization Program, Sweden’s MARKUS (Markstridsutrustad Soldat; Ground Warfare Equipped Soldier), and some thoughts on Russia’s programs as it transitions to a professional force.
This article looks at the framework underneath the trend.
Herley Industries Inc., which makes microwave technology for the defense and aerospace industries, on Wednesday has acquired Innovative Concepts Inc. for about $20 million cash. Innovative Concepts provides wireless communications technology used mostly in the defense industry, and has strong ties to the Navy and Air Force. Its last fiscal year revenues were around $28 million.
Herley now has a staff of more than 1,000 people, with the completion of the transaction, which it sees as a crucial link in its strategy to provide key communication links between vehicles, ships, ground stations, and the military’s larger communications network. Source: Associated Press report.
TYBRIN Corp. in Fort Walton Beach, FL received a $13.7 million cost-plus award-fee contract modification to increase the level of effort in support of activities for the Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, CA. This work falls under contract F06411-00-C-001, System Engineering and Technical Assistance Services, and will be complete by May 2005. The Headquarters Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, CA issued the contract (F06411-00-C-0001, P00094).
