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General Dynamics UK in partnership with Rockwell Collins and QinetiQ win MoD contract to improve situational awareness in
the battlespace
UNITED KINGDOM (February 23, 2009) - General Dynamics United Kingdom Limited, in partnership with Rockwell Collins and QinetiQ, has won a competition for a £3
million contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to develop the Joint Data Network Combat Identification Server Technical
Demonstrator.
The Combat Identification Server (CIDS) requirement will contribute to improving tactical situational awareness (SA) for UK
forces involved in the delivery and control of indirect and direct fires to land operations; it will also assist in improving
SA for forces working together on other joint fires operations. The CIDS will provide military commanders and pilots with
rapid and timely access to accurate near real-time force tracking and location information, improving mission effectiveness
through increased accuracy and tempo of operations and assisting in reducing incidences of fratricide.
The CIDS will correlate blue-force tracking information from 15 different network sources including Link-16, Bowman and UK
asset tracking systems as well as coalition network sources, and then, on receipt of requests, make it available to joint
fires assets and Close Air Support (CAS)/Close Combat Air (CCA) aircraft. CIDS will use Link-16, Variable Message Format (VMF)
and AFAPD networks, and eventually other tactical networks to redistribute blue-force tracking information. The Technical
Demonstrator Programme's (TDP) capabilities will be tested against realistic CAS and Forward Air Controller (FAC) engagement
scenarios.
The programme will be managed by the Tactical Data Links (TDL) Integrated Product Team and will feed in to the Joint Data
Network (JDN) Backbone programme, which focuses on linking tactical networks to support joint and coalition war fighting.
Work is due to commence in February 2009 and complete in June 2010. Prime contractor General Dynamics UK will lead on systems
engineering and integration activity; Rockwell Collins' UK subsidiary on CIDS software development; and QinetiQ on the trials
and demonstration activity data fusion and provision of multiple-level security devices. The CIDS will use both General Dynamics
UK's NetLink multi-link tactical gateway and Rockwell Collins' Rosetta Technology® multi-link gateway to provide connectivity
to the various tactical networks. All development and integration work will be conducted within the UK.
Dr Sandy Wilson, President and Managing Director of General Dynamics UK Limited, said "The Combat Identification Server will
increase the effectiveness of UK and coalition forces on operations and should help to save lives. We are looking forward
to demonstrating our innovative approach in delivering the best solution for the UK MoD with our UK partners. As a significant
provider of tactical network solutions, the Company is committed to investing in the future of Networked Enabled Capability
with UK (sovereign) solutions."
About General Dynamics UK
General Dynamics United Kingdom Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), is a leading player in
the UK's knowledge economy and industrial base. Established in the United Kingdom for over 40 years, it employs around 1,600
people at eight facilities and has an annual turnover in excess of £350m. A prime contractor and complex systems integrator,
working in partnership with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and other allies, growing key intellectual property, skills and
capabilities in its UK research facilities and workforce, whilst harnessing world-leading technology.
General Dynamics UK leads a key MoD Defence Technology Centre research consortium and, together with a growing C4I export
programme, plays a central role manufacturing and developing technology to deliver Network Enabled Capability and ISTAR in
the battlespace. The Company is still widely recognised as a leading contender to supply and integrate the next generation
of Armoured Fighting Vehicles for the British Army. For further information visit www.generaldynamics.uk.com
General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, employs approximately 92,300 people worldwide. The company is a
market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine
systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.gd.com.
About Rockwell Collins
Rockwell Collins is a pioneer in the development and deployment of innovative communication and aviation electronic solutions
for both commercial and government applications. Our expertise in flight deck avionics, cabin electronics, mission communications,
information management and simulation and training is delivered by 20,000 employees, and a global service and support network
that crosses 27 countries.
Rockwell Collins' UK subsidiary provides products, subsystems and complete integrated system solutions for commercial and
military fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, as well as naval and land platforms. Rockwell Collins UK also provides L11 and L16
situational awareness (SA) systems to air and land forces, providing military users access to timely, relevant information
using communication media that can be deployed in demanding terrains. The systems employ scalable software and commercially
optimised modular architecture to provide tailored solutions from fixed installations to highly portable systems.
Rockwell Collins UK was awarded an $18 million contract from the United Kingdom (UK) Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide
a suite of products for the next generation Forward Air Controller and Forward Observation Officer (FAC/FOO) system. The program,
delivered under an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) provides a significant advance in UK MoD FAC/FOO capabilities and
gives users a fully-digitised system, enabling the UK Forward Air Controllers to exchange 9- or 15-line FAC targeting messages
with U.S. and coalition aircraft. To find out more, please visit www.rockwellcollins.com.
About QinetiQ
QinetiQ (pronounced "kinetic") is a leading international defence and security technology company with over 8,000 employees
in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Australasia) and more than 5,500 in North America. QinetiQ's vision is to be the world's
leading provider of defence and security based technology solutions and services. In February 2006, QinetiQ Group plc was
listed on the London Stock Exchange and joined the FTSE250 in June 2006. In the year to 31 March 2008, QinetiQ delivered a
19 per cent increase in revenue to £1,366m, including organic growth of 8.6 per cent, and a 20 per cent increase in underlying
operating profit to £127m. Underlying earnings per share increased by 19% to 13.4p per share. For more information please
visit the website at www.QinetiQ.com or contact Douglas Millard in the QinetiQ Press Office on +44 (0) 1252 39 4611 / 3500 or email: DMillard@QinetiQ.com.
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