Naval network contract for Boeing

Boeing has been awarded a $7.1m US Navy contract to provide a ship-wide communications network for three guided missile destroyers (DDG).

Under the agreement, Boeing will support the installation and commissioning of the Fibre Optic Data Multiplex System (FODMS) for DDG 110 and complete the design of the Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System (GEDMS) for DDGs 111 and 112.

According to Boeing, the FODMS/GEDMS network is a complete information transfer system that enhances reliability, maintainability and survivability by managing data from the ship's navigation, steering control, damage control, machinery control, combat and internal communications systems.

Currently, DMS/FODMS is installed on 45 percent of naval surface combatants and 34 percent of all surface ships. With the addition of GEDMS, shipboard networking will be available on 65 percent of naval surface combatants and 42 percent of all surface ships. FODMS provides 100 Megabits of bandwidth, compared to 24 Megabits for DMS. GEDMS will provide one Gigabit of bandwidth.