Harris Corporation announced that it has been awarded a three-year,
$27.8 million contract by Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and
Sensors to develop and integrate a water-deployable communications system for
the U.S. Navy's Advanced Deployable System (ADS). ADS is a littoral (coastal)
undersea surveillance system designed to provide a joint-forces commander with
a continuous and reliable picture of activity over vast oceanic areas. Total
value of the ADS contract to Harris could reach $34 million if low rate
initial production options are exercised beginning in 2007.
"This contract represents a major milestone in Harris' commitment to the
Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program and further strengthens our
relationship with both Lockheed Martin and the Navy," said Dan
Pearson,
president of the Department of Defense Programs business unit of Harris
Corporation's Government Communications Systems Division. "The technology
being developed as part of this program also advances and complements other
recent Harris developments in support of the Navy's FORCEnet initiative."
Harris is developing and integrating the communications system that will
link the ADS sensor nodes with the LCS platform. This broadband system
permits operators on the LCS to simultaneously monitor sensor data from up to
six sensor nodes with a throughput aggregate of 9 Mbps at ranges of up to
30 nautical miles. The system also serves as the command and control link
from the LCS to the sensor platforms.
The ADS initiative consists of an Underwater Segment, a Processing and
Analysis Segment and a Mission Support Segment. ADS will enable detection of
all types of submarines, including quiet diesel submarines and other surface
ships.