Harris Awarded $27.8M Contract

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.