US Navy Orders Ship Self-Defense Hardware

DRS Technologies Inc., a Finmeccanica Company, announced that the US Navy has awarded the company access to a $31.8 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide command and control hardware products for the service’s Ship Self-Defense System Mark 2 (SSDS), used on Navy aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships.

SSDS is a ship-borne battle management system that integrates elements of other combat systems to provide a flexible detect-control-engage capability that meets a ship’s self-defense and tactical situational awareness requirements. It can defend against surface and airborne threats, including low-flying cruise missiles.

The command and control hardware, including interface and networking devices, peripheral systems, displays and processors, integrates radars and other sensors with weapons systems to protect the carriers and amphibious ships from attack.

The system, installed on all classes of aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, also supports secondary mission areas, including fleet support operations and search and rescue operations.

“DRS has a long heritage of supporting the U.S. Navy and is proud to provide our technology to protect our carriers and amphibious ships, especially as the Navy broadens its stated focus in the Pacific region,” said William J. Lynn, CEO of DRS Technologies and Finmeccanica North America and former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense.

DRS is experienced at building low-cost, high-quality, mission-essential equipment for harsh naval environments. Under this contract, DRS is expected to provide hardware production, assembly, configuration, alignment, integration, testing and shipping of the SSDS hardware. The work will be performed at DRS facilities in Chesapeake, Virginia and Johnstown, Pennsylvania through 2017.

DRS’s Laurel Technologies business was awarded access to the contract from the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division.

[mappress]
Press Release, September 11, 2014; Image: US Navy