Navy awards submarine support contracts

CALIFORNIA, Md., April 15 (UPI) -- BAE Systems and DRS Technologies are to separately provide engineering and other services to submarines of the U.S. Navy and allied countries.

The two contacts announced earlier this week have a combined value of about $397.8 million.

BAE Systems, under a three-year award from the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, will provide a range of support services to modernize the vessels' weapon launch platforms, including development, analysis and integration of new weapon launch and payload systems; mechanical configuration and interface control; and fabrication, assembly, installation and evaluation of test facilities and naval platforms.

"Our team reflects a remarkable scope of experience and knowledge, from our skilled engineers and former sailors to our youngest and newest members," said Mark Keeler, vice president and general manager of Integrated Electronics & Warfare Systems at BAE Systems. "By combining legacy knowledge with operational understanding and new engineering tools, we've been proudly evolving to support this important customer for more than 40 years."

BAE Systems said work under the contract will be conducted at its facilities in Middletown, R.I., and Groton, Conn.

The initial award is worth $3.4 million, while the overall value three-year value is an estimated $13.8 million.

The contract issued to DRS Technologies, a subsidiary of Italy's Finmeccanica, is for the development, production and integration of electronic equipment under the Navy's technology insertion hardware, or TIH, program to meet next-generation requirements of displays, processor and networks for combat control and sonar systems.

DRS Technologies said the equipment will be for a variety of submarine types, including Seawolf and Royal Australian Navy Collins-class submarines. The contract also provides for the installation of initial systems on new Virginia-class submarines.

The TIH program covers computer processing and memory hardware; data storage and extraction hardware; input/output interfaces for processing systems designed around commercially available hardware and software; upgrade kits; electronic enclosures and other submarine electronic equipment.

The award is an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Its potential value is more than $384 million.

"DRS has a long history of providing the Navy with both commercial off-the-shelf and custom combat systems," said Roger Sexauer, president of the DRS Maritime Combat Support Systems business group. "We look forward to bringing that experience to bear on the TIH program.

"This (contract) is another example that from stem-to-stern, DRS Technologies provides a wide range of technologies and solutions to enhance combat readiness and augment shipboard operations and functionality."

Work under the contract will be performed by DRS's Maritime Systems and Services - Laurel Technologies at facilities in Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Virginia.