Efficient Services for the Tiger and the NH90: The Bundeswehr and Eurocopter set up joint Systems Support Centre in Ottobrunn
Marignane/Ottobrunn, 04 July 2003
With the objective of maintaining the mission capability of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) weapon systems Tiger and NH90, a Systems Support Centre is evolving at Eurocopter Deutschland in Ottobrunn, representing the nerve centre for the updating and advanced development of these two highly sophisticated weapon systems. In a call to establish this Centre, approx. 20 staff from the Weapon Systems Support Centre in Landsberg were welcomed at the Eurocopter facility in Ottobrunn on July 4, 2003 as the first core team of the military share of the Systems Support Centre, and introduced to their new colleagues from the industry.
Bert Stegkemper, General Manager of the Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH sites, described this cooperation as paving the way for transforming the Bundeswehr as well as the industry's efforts to match the new challenges it faces as a supplier and systems partner. The Systems Support Centre contributes decisively to maintaining the systems competence of the industry as well as to safeguarding the workplaces at the Eurocopter development facility in Ottobrunn. Brigadier General Berthold Buchholz, Commander of the Air Materiel Force, pointed out the outstanding importance of software competence for the Tiger and NH90 weapon systems. Establishing a joint military Centre for systems updating and modification by the Bundeswehr and the industry represents a logical step towards continuing the collaboration launched to develop and qualify the two systems.
In the joint Systems Support Centre, Eurocopter Deutschland and the Bundeswehr cooperate to update and modify the tactical and operational systems software for the two helicopters. Eurocopter aims to optimally support the Bundeswehr's requirements for use, consequently ensuring the customer's satisfaction with the product. Full scope of the Systems Support Centre will be completed in 2007.
In order to ensure the full mission capability of complex weapon systems with on-board computer software in all security-policy situations, ongoing updating and modification of the freely programmable software is a must. This central task for the two weapon systems Tiger and NH90 is to be achieved, according to the resolution passed by the Federal German Defence Ministry, in a cooperative model by the industry and the Bundeswehr led by Eurocopter Deutschland. The desired result aims to combine concentrated know-how with maximum cost efficiency. Besides Eurocopter and the Bundeswehr – in this case its Weapon Systems Support Centre – some subcontractors will also be integrated.
The User Help Desk as a Contact Point for all Users
The establishment of a User Help Desk to answer enquiries from the task forces and the official services, problems arising during missions can be pinpointed rapidly and understood with the aid of the technical means available at the Systems Support Centre. Analysis teams from the Systems Support Centre will also assist the task forces on-site – in Germany as well as in potential mission countries. Based on this detailed problem analysis and subject to the customer's agreement, necessary changes can be made to the systems software as required and supplied to the on-board computers. Complementing the training programme of the Technical School run by the Luftwaffe, the Systems Support Centre will in addition prepare Bundeswehr systems engineers, systems technicians and systems inspectors for their assignments.
A Competence Centre for Software Development
Setting up the Systems Support Centre permits maintaining the competencies, established in the course of developing the Tiger, in the sectors of avionics systems and software development at the Ottobrunn location for the duration of the service lives of the two weapon systems. By the year 2007, the Systems Support Centre is to have around 200 persons on its payroll. It is currently planned for the team to comprise 130 members from the industry and 60 members of the Bundeswehr. A further ten persons are to come from the Federal German Office of Defence Technology and Procurement. For several years now, some Bundeswehr officers have already been involved at Eurocopter in systems and software development for the Tiger and the NH90. The Systems Support Centre, with its comprehensive range of services will – in agreement with the Federal German Defence Ministry – also be open to other users, including export customers for the Tiger and the NH90.
Eurocopter is a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS. The EADS company is a leading aerospace and defence enterprise and, with a turnover of 29.9 billion euros in the year 2002, the second largest company in the industry. It has more than 100,000 persons on its payroll and is one of the market leaders in defence technology, commercial aviation, helicopters, space, military transport and combat aircraft together with the associated services. The commercial aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the worldwide largest helicopter manufacturer Eurocopter, the space company Astrium and MBDA, the second largest guided-missile manufacturer worldwide, all belong to EADS. EADS is the largest partner in the Eurofighter consortium and is also developing the military transport aircraft A400M. The company has more than 70 locations in Germany, France, Great Britain and Spain. EADS is also active worldwide, including the USA, Russia and Asia.
The Weapon Systems Support Centre, based in Landsberg on the Lech, which heads the military share within the NH90/Tiger Systems Support Centre, is an organization at regimental level that reports to the Air Materiel Force in Cologne-Wahn. It was founded on April 1, 2002 and heads the Programming Centres, Project Liaison Teams and Systems Support Centres of the Luftwaffe. The Weapon Systems Support Centre accompanies the adoption and use of systems under the materiel cognizance of the Chief of Staff, Air Force. These involve in particular airborne weapon systems and SAM systems, as well as operational command and control together with command, control and information systems. The Weapon Systems Support Centre is the only Bundeswehr unit to be entrusted with this assignment and consequently represents a unique organization, which also renders services for the army and navy. However, this new organization is characterized by its cooperation with the industry, as is now exemplefied by the NH90/Tiger Systems Support Centre.
For further information please contact:
Jean Louis ESPES
Tel: + 33 (0)4 42 85 95 55
Fax: + 33 (0)4 42 85 95 64
Eurocopter
Aéroport International Marseille Provence
F-13725 Marignane Cedex
France
Christina GOTZHEIN
Tel: + 49 (0) 89 6000 64 88
Fax: + 49 (0) 89 6000 44 37
Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
D-81663 Munich
Germany
Chantal LINARES
Tel: + 33 (0)4 42 85 60 51
Fax: + 33 (0)4 42 85 95 64
Eurocopter
Aéroport International Marseille Provence
F-13725 Marignane Cedex – France
Christoph MÜLLER
Tel: + 49 (0) 906 71 45 65
Fax: + 49 (0) 906 71 46 74
Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
D-86607 Donauwörth
Germany
Web site: www.eurocopter.com
For the Bundeswehr:
Hans-Ulrich MÜNZBERG
Tel.: +49 (0) 8191 – 911 – 1001
Fax.: +49 (0) 8191 – 911 – 1099
Waffensystemunterstützungszentrum
Iglinger Straße 72/101
D-86899 Landsberg am Lech
Germany
Wolfgang ROTH
Tel.: +49 (0) 8191 – 911 – 1300
Fax: +49 (0) 8191 – 911 – 1099
Waffensystem unterstützungszentrum
Iglinger Straße 72/101
D-86899 Landsberg am Lech
Germany
Matthias DORWEILER
Tel.: +49 (0) 89 – 6000 – 9602
Fax.: +49 (0) 89 – 6000 – 7094
Systemunterstützungszentrum NH 90/TIGER
Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
D-81663 München
Germany
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