Enhancing the army bit by bit

The US Army has awarded the General Dynamics-Lockheed Martin Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) team with contract modifications for work on the army’s broadband communications network.

Valued at up to $921m, the agreement covers the continued development and accelerated delivery of the WIN-T system, which is said to provide soldiers with fast, secure and mobile access to the US Defense Deparment’s Global Information Grid.

The modification contract covers work divided into three parts, WIN-T Increment One, WIN-T Increment Two and WIN-T Increment Three.

The first increment involves work to enhance the existing joint networking and satellite communications capability deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The second increment, valued at $126m, will deliver an initial on-the-move broadband networking capability using satellite and radio links, scheduled to enter the field in 2009.

Increment Three, valued at $795m, will continue development of WIN-T components to meet the full range of network capacity, security and fully mobile capabilities for the army, with limited user testing scheduled to begin in 2011. The size, weight, power and cooling requirements for systems to be hosted in future army vehicles will also be designed at this stage.

The final WIN-T Increment Four, has not yet been awarded, but will provide technology insertions to enable enhanced satellite communications protection and greater throughput via transformational communications satellites.

John Mengucci, president of Lockheed Martin Mission & Combat Support Solutions, said: ‘From command and control on-the-move to mobile radio and wireless communications, information will be delivered faster and more reliably than ever before, providing a new level of situational awareness with the ability to communicate seamlessly via voice, data and video.’

Separately, the US TACOM Lifecycle Management Command has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems contracts totalling $57m for Stryker production and for Abrams tank maintenance.

Under a $38m contract, General Dynamics will produce 33 Stryker Medical Evacuation Vehicle variants, eight-wheeled vehicles that provide mobile protection for up to six patients and a medical team. The work is expected to be completed by January 2010.

The army awarded the other $19m contract for Abrams Systems Technical Support, which is a programme that funds engineering studies on Abrams tanks to identify improvements and replace obsolete parts. The work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and will be completed by December 2011.