General Dynamics UK to provide tactical processing for Future Lynx Programme
Delivering effective command and control, enhancing situational awareness – helping to deliver the MoD’s long-term Network Enabled Capability for rotary wing assets
LONDON, United Kingdom – General Dynamics UK Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded a contract worth more than £24 million (approx. $44 million) by AgustaWestland for the design, development and manufacture of an advanced Tactical Processor for the UK’s Future Lynx Programme.
Sandy Wilson, president and managing director, General Dynamics UK, said; “This is a strategic win for General Dynamics UK in our growing Air NEC and ISTAR business, and is a major step forward in the area of Battlefield Rotorcraft Digitisation. As we proved with the Apache Bowman Connectivity programme, connecting land and air manoeuvre assets is an essential battlespace capability for our armed forces.”
General Dynamics UK was selected as the preferred supplier for the programme in 2003 and provided ongoing support to AgustaWestland during the Assessment Phase. The two companies will continue to work together in a close relationship that is underpinned by a partnering charter. Danny Milligan, vice president, Mission Systems, General Dynamics UK, commented, “General Dynamics UK’s Development and Manufacture programme for the Future Lynx programme will continue until 2015 and helps to cement our growing relationship with AgustaWestland.”
The GDUK Tactical Processor is a key element of the platform architecture and offers a high degree of commonality across both variants of the Future Lynx – the British Army’s Battlefield Reconnaissance Helicopter (BRH) and the Royal Navy’s Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft (SCMR).
The Tactical Processor, which is based on General Dynamics UK’s combat proven family of open systems computers, will host software applications that interface to the hardware using an Allied Standard Avionics Architecture Council (ASAAC) standard based 3-layer software stack. It will also provide a sophisticated video processing and distribution function, embedded mission recording and playback and a digital map capability that is common to the UK’s Merlin Mk3 support helicopter.
The Future Lynx platform with its onboard sensors has a significant surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capability. In addition the two-way data communication with the BOWMAN network will provide effective command and control of a valuable rotary wing asset whilst enhancing situational awareness through the wide distribution of the gathered data. These two capabilities are key elements of the UK MoD’s long-term NEC strategy.
General Dynamics United Kingdom Limited is a British company specialising in military communications, battlespace, and mission and information management systems. General Dynamics UK has been active in the UK since 1962 and now employs over 1500 highly skilled staff at eight locations across the UK including Oakdale and Newbridge in South Wales, and Hastings in South East England.
General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, employs approximately 72,700 people worldwide and had 2005 revenue of $21.2 billion. The company is a market leader in mission-critical information systems and technologies; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and business aviation. More information can be found online at www.generaldynamics.com.
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22 June 2006
Contact: Mark Douglas
Tel: +44 (0)20 7932 3460
Email: mark.douglas@generaldynamics.uk.com
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