Naval Electronics News

REMEMBERING MY SHIPMATE JOHN MICHELWe met in January 1959 when I became the first Officer in Charge of the Navy’s newly acquired Bathyscaph Trieste and John was the first USN enlisted man to be assigned to the project. We were based at the Naval Electronics Laboratory in San Diego. Trieste was unique as there were only two deep diving manned submersibles in the world. The French Navy had the other. Our team learned about the bathyscaph more by ‘apprenticeship’ than through any sort of formal learning process.

Dr. Rolf Wirtz will become Chief Executive Officer of the naval electronics systems provider Atlas Elektronik GmbH, with effect from January 1, 2016. He will succeed Volker Paltzo who will leave the company on December 31, 2015 and take on a new role as Chief Executive Officer of Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH in Hallbergmoos, Bavaria. In his previous assignment, Rolf Wirtz was Senior Vice President and acted as Head of the business unit “Sensors, Electronic Warfare & Avionics” unit of Airbus Defence and Space and also Head of the Development and Production unit within the Electronics business line. Over and above this, he directed the Ulm location of Airbus. The Management Board will be extended by one more member. This new position will be taken over by Dr.

Jaakko Savisaari (56) was appointed new Managing Director of ATLAS ELEKTRONIK Finland Oy, a subsidiary of ATLAS ELEKTRONIK, a leading supplier of naval electronics. In previous positions, Savisaari has been an officer in the Finnish Navy, most recently as a military attaché in the USA. He succeeds Sami Sohlberg, who has joined CASSIDIAN in Finland.

Atlas Elektronik has established a new subsidiary in Finland. With this local branch, Germany’s systems supplier for naval electronics will be able to start an intensive support to the Finnish Navy and also work more closely with Finnish partners. Atlas Elektronik Finland Oy is based in Helsinki. Its managing director is Sami Sohlberg, a former officer of the Finnish Navy. After successfully handling a number of projects in recent years, Atlas supplies the main contractor Intermarine with modern mine countermeasures systems of the type IMCMS for the Finnish Navy. The mission and intention of Atlas Elektronik Finland is now to assist the Finnish Navy in the upkeep and support of the in-service products and to build up a close long-term partnership.

Atlas Elektronik has been awarded the largest single order in its company history. Bremen’s specialist for naval electronics will equip six submarines for Korea with combat systems of the type ISUS 90-61. The corresponding contract was signed with Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW), which belongs to ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems AG. HDW will deliver six material packages to Korea for the construction of Class 214 submarines. The six ISUS systems from Atlas Elektronik form an important part of this order. In addition, the contract provides for extensive teamwork with the Korean industry. Atlas Elektronik is therefore also represented in the second batch of the Korean submarine programme. The first batch involved three boats and was contracted in 2000 (www.atlas-elektronik.com)

Lockheed Martin will provide the Arab Republic of Egypt with a fully integrated maritime search and rescue (SAR) system for the Gulf of Suez (GOS) under a $50 million contract signed today in Cairo. The SAR system will complement the Gulf of Suez Vessel Traffic Information Management System (VTIMS) provided by Lockheed Martin under a 1998 contract and provide the Egyptian Ministry of Transport with all the necessary capabilities to manage and respond to any maritime distress in the Gulf of Suez. The SAR contract was signed in the presence of the Prime Minister of Egypt, His Excellency Dr. Atef Ebaid; the Minister of Transportation, His Excellency Dr. Ibrahim El-Demairi; U.S. Ambassador C.

Spain's Izar, for the Spanish Navy, reently launched the second of four frigates that are part of its F-100 program. All four frigates will be equipped with the Lockheed Martin Aegis Combat System. The ship, Almirante Juan de Borbon (F-102), was launched in ceremonies at the Izar shipyard in Ferrol, Spain. In addition, the keel was laid for F-103 during today's ceremonies. Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems (NE&SS) is the combat system engineering agent on the F-100 program. The first ship in the class, Alvaro de Bazan (F-101), is scheduled to be commissioned in October. The Spanish Navy selected the Aegis Combat System for its F-100 frigate program in 1996.

Lockheed Martin marked a milestone in the Norwegian Navy New Frigate program with completion of the Critical Design Review for the Integrated Weapon System. System (IWS). The IWS includes the full complement of ship sensors, weapons, computing suite and communications equipment designed to give the Nansen-class frigates advanced anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air capabilities. Based on the U.S. Navy's Aegis combat system, the IWS also will support interoperability of Norwegian Navy ships with those of the United States and other users of the Aegis system. Lockheed Martin is developing the IWS for five new Norwegian frigates being built by the Spanish shipbuilder IZAR Construcciones Navales, SA.

Proving the depth of efforts to internationalize business, the Advanced Frigate Consortium (AFCON) announced its intention to design, develop and market a new class of corvette-size ships to meet the emerging needs of international navies. The main players in the consortium include IZAR of Spain, Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works of the U.S. The corvette ship class will be designed with advanced platform, propulsion and combat systems including superior anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The AFCON team will work with international navies to design and develop an affordable, high-performance warship tailored for use in a nation's anti-air, anti-submarine, and anti-surface warfare operations.

Lockheed Martin and teammate United Defense, LP, have used experience with the MK 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) to develop a new Single Cell (SCL) launcher. The SCL is intended for ships either too small for the traditional eight-cell MK 41 or with mission requirements not requiring an eight-cell launcher. The SCL will provide an affordable solution for improved ship self defense requirements on aircraft carriers, large-deck amphibious ships, and other smaller surface combatants, such as corvettes and frigates. SCL is based on proven MK 41 technology and incorporates the latest Baseline VII Launch Control System (LCS), and other Computer-off-the-Shelf (COTS) components.

Lockheed Martin's advanced hullform ship Sea SLICE will participate as a littoral warfare ship in the Navy's Fleet Battle Experiment Juliet (FBE-J) this summer. Sea SLICE, designated as a High Speed Vessel (HSV) for the exercise, will demonstrate the flexibility achievable by "modularity" in a small, fast, highly maneuverable platform. Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics and Surveillance Systems (NE&SS)-Marine Systems has overall responsibility for developing Sea SLICE. Systems, NE&SS-Surface Systems, Missiles and Fire Control, Mission Systems and Information Systems, are contributing technologies that will be included in the ship. During FBE-J…

Intracom has signed a contract worth $8 million with Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics and Surveillance Systems-Radar Systems (NE&SS-Radar Systems) for the supply to the Hellenic Merchant Marine Ministry of the first phase of a National Vessel Traffic Management Information System (VTMIS). NE&SS-Radar Systems is the major subcontractor of the project led by INTRACOM. The VTMIS will be based in Piraeus and will cover areas of the Ionian and Aegean Sea. INTRACOM, as the project's prime contractor, has the responsibility of providing the telecommunication and computing hardware, as well as installing the necessary VTMIS technology equipment supplied by Lockheed Martin.

Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems-Syracuse (NE&SS-Syracuse) will assist the U.S. Coast Guard with a significantly large upgrade to its Search and Rescue (SAR) capabilities under an eight-month design and demonstration contract awarded to the company. The contract, valued at $2.8 million and one of three awarded to the industry, is the first phase of the National Distress and Response System (NDRS) Modernization Program. The contract includes a $5.7 million option for an additional seven-month follow-on contract to complete the design and provide an extensive prototype demonstration. The NDRS Modernization Program…

A division of Lockheed Martin Corp. has launched a pilot Web site that enables its naval customers to expedite requests for parts and services by easily identifying the contact at the company responsible for a specified system. The Web site was built and is hosted by AppliedTheory Corp., an Internet knowledge, development and managed hosting partner for hundreds of large corporations and institutions. The new site, www.navalsupport.com, was launched by Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics and Surveillance Systems in Syracuse, N.Y., as the first phase of implementing Web-based e-commerce. Users of the site can match a system to the appropriate contact at the company by entering the system's name, description or part identification number, or by clicking on a picture.

Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems announced the successful completion of the first Critical Item Test (CIT) required for development and fielding of the AN/WLD-1(V)1 Remote Minehunting System. AN/WLD-1(V)1 is being developed by Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems-Undersea Systems (NE&SS-Undersea Systems) in Syracuse and Riviera Beach, Fla., under a contract awarded in December, 1999 by the U.S. Navy. It will provide Arleigh Burke Class DDG-51 Flight IIA ships with its first-ever offboard mine reconnaissance capability. Key elements of AN/WLD-1(V)1 include a diesel-powered, semi-submersible Remote Minehunting Vehicle (RMV) with a deployable Variable Depth Sensor (VDS), line of sight and over-the-horizon real-time data links and a shipboard launch and recovery subsystem.

Newport News Shipbuilding said that it awarded Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems Inc., a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corp., a $446 million subcontract for the warfare system for the CVN 77, the U.S. Navy's next nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Virginia-based Newport News said it worked with Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics and Surveillance-Surface Systems, under an advance planning contract. The warfare system will be delivered as part of Newport News Shipbuilding's $3.8 billion contract from the Navy for the CVN 77 signed in January. The award to Lockheed includes an additional $40 million option for exterior communications equipment, Newport News said. Newport News shares were down 18 cents, at $50.52, during mid-afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange. - (Reuters)

Next generation technology used to wage wars of the future will be on display for two weeks off the coast of California later this month. The upcoming Fleet Battle Experiment-Juliet (FBE-J) will offer the military an unprecedented glance at how established and emerging technologies work in sync. Sea SLICE will participate as a littoral warfare ship in FBE-J, as a High Speed Vessel (HSV) for the exercise. Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics and Surveillance Systems (NE&SS)-Marine Systems — which has overall responsibility for developing Sea SLICE — shared with MR/EN some of the secrets behind its success. As the military evolves increasingly toward the collection…

Offshore Systems International Ltd., a marine electronic navigation company with a strong defense niche, announced that it has completed the installation of its latest ECPINS-M system aboard Lockheed Martin's Sea SLICE advanced technology demonstration vessel. Developed by the United States Navy Office of Naval Research and the Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems division of Lockheed Martin, Sea SLICE will be participating in the United States Navy's Fleet Battle Experiment - Juliet this summer. The U.S. Navy's Fleet Battle Experiments are underway-exercises designed to evaluate new technology and new operational concepts for future development and deployment.

For the last several years, the industry standard in bulk welding wire has been ESAB’s Marathon Pac. Now, ESAB introduces its second generation Marathon Pac. This new addition in filler metals has a unique octagon shape and offers the same advantages as ESAB’s previous design and includes several improvements. It allows operators to reduce their impact on the environment. The Marathon Pac, manufactured from recyclable and environmentally friendly corrugated board coated with a thin moisture barrier, makes it easier to process for recycling. This lower density corrugated material has a broader range of use than high-density material, making it simple to break down and discard in a cardboard recycling container when finished. Increased efficiency is another advantage.

Sweden-based Naval Electronics AB – active in TV and radio reception since 1971 - expand their satellite programme with the NavSat 60 satellite antenna for TV and internet reception on the Ku-band. Naval Electronics AB expand their satellite programme. The NavSat 60 is the most recent addition, in the company’s satellite programme. It is a 60 cm satellite dish antenna for TV and internet reception on the Ku-band. The antenna is designed for easy plug and play installation and requires no GPS or gyro connection. It is stabilized with a two-axis solution with automatic skew control. An array of piezoelectric gyroscopes and accelerometers keeps the antenna pointing towards the chosen satellite irrespective of weather conditions.

Lockheed Martin has completed the final Site Acceptance Test (SAT) for the Gulf of Suez Vessel Traffic Information Management System (VTIMS), which will monitor and control ship traffic in all major port and harbor waters. program. Work boats and fishing vessels traverse the 175-nautical-mile-long Gulf along with huge oil tankers and boats full of tourists visiting the famous Red Sea coral reefs. "The oil rigs on the Gulf of Suez and the tourism that surrounds our popular coral reefs help make up the backbone of our economy," said Admiral Sherin El Kady, chairman of the Ports and Lighthouses Administration, the customer for the project. Lockheed Martin has provided the VTIMS under a contract signed in 1998.

In a move it describes to strengthen its competitive advantage in design and integration of combat systems and sensors for maritime and related markets, Lockheed Martin is further integrating its naval electronics and surveillance systems units into a single business enterprise called Maritime Systems & Sensors (MS2). This restructured company, with more than 11,000 employees, has significant operations in Akron, Ohio; Archbald, Pa.; Baltimore, Md.; Eagan, Minn.; Manassas, Va.; Syracuse, N.Y.; Moorestown, N.J.; Clearwater and Riviera Beach, Fla., as well as satellite operations in more than 70 locations, including 22 overseas. "Our objective is straightforward.

The multi-billion contract to build a new family of Navy ships took one giant step last month with the awarding of development contracts to three industry teams. The fight to win the contract to design and build the family of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) is sure to be fierce, as the deal to build up to 60 of the vessels will help feed the corporate coffers of the successful team for decades to come. LCS is indicative of the Navy's transformation from a deepwater fleet leftover from the Cold War threat of only one other credible super power, to the reality of today's multi-faceted threat environment: small, hard to find and diverse groups around the globe.