Signals for submarines

19 December 2006

The US Navy has awarded General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, a $10m contract modification to continue producing multi-purpose processor systems and total ship monitoring system kits. The kits are part of the Acoustic Rapid Commercial Off-The-Shelf Insertion (A-RCI) program for submarines.

Work under this contract includes the production of seven processor systems, nine ship monitoring systems and associated spares in support of submarine modernisation.

According to General Dynamics, the multi-purpose processor system is a combination of hardware and software that enables submarines to process acoustic signals collected by towed and hull arrays, sphere arrays and the ship monitoring system.

The processed data provides valuable information regarding the location of nearby vessels and increases the survivability and lethality of the submarine. These systems are installed in SSN 688, SSN 688I, SSN 774, SSN 21, SSGN and SSBN 726 class submarines, and are major subsystems of the A-RCI program.

Work under this contract modification will be performed in Fairfax, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by July 2008.

This award modifies a contract originally awarded in December 2003; including this modification, the cumulative value of the contract is $127m.