The
Inside Track Northrop Grumman to Upgrade Integrated Bridge Systems for Nimitz-Class Carriers Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a contract to provide Scalable Integrated Bridge Systems (SIBS) for five Nimitz-class (CVN) U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers. The five SIBS shipsets were awarded to Northrop Grumman’s Maritime Systems business unit under a U.S. Navy fixed-price contract. In conjunction with previously awarded shipsets by the U.S. Navy, this contract will complete bridge upgrades for the entire Nimitz class. The upgrades will provide enhanced situational awareness for safer navigation as well as increased commonality with systems and software used by other U.S. Navy ship classes for easier supportability. The CVN SIBS include Northrop Grumman’s Voyage Management System (VMS), which provides the “paperless navigation” technology to convert the fleet from hand plotting on paper nautical charts to automated navigation and piloting on computerized chart displays. VMS is the only system that is currently certified by the U.S. Navy to be compliant with the Navy’s Electronic
Kontron Acquires AP Labs Group Through its U.S. subsidiary, Kontron has acquired 100 percent of U.S. company AP Labs Group, which is based in San Diego, California. The group, which has two operating companies, specializes in system integration in the areas of defense and aerospace. Kontron anticipates that both new subsidiaries will make an annual revenue of $30 million. Kontron intends to integrate AP Labs with its North American headquarters, [ 8 ] COTS Journal June 2010
Figure 1
The USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) will be among those Nimitzclass carriers to receive the Scalable Integrated Bridge Systems (SIBS) upgrade. Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS‑N) requirements for paperless navigation, as defined by the Chief of Naval Operations in OPNAVINST 9420.2. All U.S. Navy vessels certified for paperless navigation use VMS as their ECDIS‑N software application, running on an ECDIS‑N-certified Northrop Grumman equipment suite. The Nimitz-class carriers began construction in 1968 with the USS Nimitz
(CVN 68). The tenth ship of the class, the USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) (Figure 1) was commissioned in January 2009.
which is also based in San Diego. Kontron has access to cost-efficient, local production capacities as the result of the company AP Parpro., which also forms part of the group and is located in Mexico, close to Kontron's NA headquarters. For Kontron, whose revenue share in the security application area had already grown to 16 percent in the last business year, the strategic acquisition brings advantages in many respects. AP Labs' system product line is complementary to its French subsidiary's board product range in the security
segment. In 2008, Kontron acquired the former French company Thales Computers SA from Thales Group, boosting Kontron’s play both in the defense/aerospace area and regionally in Europe. The U.S. Defense Department's official accreditation of AP Labs is expected to facilitate even better access for Kontron into the high-margin U.S. market.
Northrop Grumman Los Angeles, CA. (310) 553-6262. [www.northropgrumman.com].
Kontron America Poway, CA. (858) 677-0877. [www.kontron.com].
General Dynamics Awarded U.S. Navy CALI Contract General Dynamics has been selected by the U.S. Navy’s Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) to compete for future orders under the Common Afloat Local Area Network Infrastructure (CALI) indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity (IDIQ) multiple award contracts. Under the CALI IDIQ contracts, contractors will provide ships and submarines with Common Computing Environment (CCE) Components, Integrated Logistics Support (ILS), Configuration Management (CM), Test and Evaluation (T&E), Quality Assurance (QA) and Installation Support. Specific requirements will be defined in individual orders.
Figure 2
The idea behind CANES is to consolidate and replace numerous legacy systems and deliver an open, common network to every ship, submarine and shore-based command and control center in the Navy. As one of three awardees under the CALI initiative, General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) will lead an experienced