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BAE SYSTEMS partnership with Northrop Grumman awarded multi-year US vehicle intercom contract

27 Feb 2002

A partnership of BAE Systems C4ISR and Northrop Grumman Corporation's Electronic Systems Sector (ES) has been awarded a contract by the US Army's Communications Electronics Command (CECOM), with a potential value in excess of $50 million, for the continued supply of the BAE Systems-designed AN/VIC-3 Vehicle Intercommunication System (VIS).

The five-year, fixed price follow-on contract extends the supply of the proven type-classified AN/VIC-3 digital intercom to the US Army. The system provides clear, noise-free communications between crew members inside combat vehicles and, externally, over as many as six combat net radios. Its comprehensive features include the capability to distribute digital data, voice-activated switching for hands-free operation, a redundant architecture to mitigate battle damage, active noise reduction and a built-in test capability.

Northrop Grumman (ES), headquartered in Baltimore, and BAE Systems C4ISR Land Platform Communications of Blackburn, UK, have jointly supplied in excess of 20,000 VIS systems since it was originally adopted by the US Army in 1993. This includes exports of the VIS system to over 14 other countries.

BAE Systems Business Manager Nick Heyes comments "AN/VIC-3 forms the basis for a family of related communications products now entering service. These will ultimately provide digital communications connectivity not only within the vehicle but also between groups of vehicles, including light, armoured and command vehicles whilst maintaining the use of the existing AN/VIC-3 assets and associated cabling."

ROVIS is a major advance in digital intercommunications and is the world's most widely fielded multi-station vehicle intercom system. It supports voice and data communications within military vehicles, even in extreme noise conditions.

Its comprehensive features include the capability to distribute digital data, voice-operated switching for hands-free operation, a ring architecture for resilience to battle damage, active noise reduction and built-in test facilities. It features a universal radio interface to a wide range of military radios, from the VRC12 series to modern frequency hopping radios such as SINCGARS and PR4G.

BAE Systems C4ISR is a global centre of excellence supplying innovative, network enhanced, capability provision solutions. The Group integrates advanced civil and military technologies into robust, single-service and purple defence information management environments, radically optimising the operational effectiveness of command & control and platforms within the digitised battlespace, providing architectures to dominate the decision-making cycle.