November 4, 2011

Contract Award: URS to support U.S. Marine Air Command and Control Systems

News Report

As announced in a recent press release, URS Corporation has been awarded a contract by the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane, Indiana to support U.S. Marine Corps aviation Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems. The contract, which has a one-year base term and a one-year option period, has a maximum value of $42.9 million over the full two years.

Under the terms of the contract, URS will provide acquisition, engineering and program management services for new systems and the sustainment of legacy systems used by the Marine Air Command and Control Systems (MACCS) community.

Examples of new acquisitions include programs such as the Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S). URS will also sustain legacy systems with technical and engineering services for such systems as the Air Defense Communications Platform (ADCP) and the Communications Data Link System (CDLS). The majority of the work will be performed at NSWC Crane and at URS' nearby facilities.

The Systems

The Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S) is a major C2 systems design and development effort to modernize the C2 assets of the U.S. Marine Air Command and Control System (MACCS). CAC2S will use standardized tactical shelters and common hardware, and software toward reducing the MACCS logistical footprint and commonalizing U.S. Marine Corps equipment. It will encompass the MACCS C2 missions and functions and replace the current C2 suites with one integrated operational system.

Ultimately, CAC2S will help provide Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTF) mission critical support to better integrate aviation and ground combat operations. During MAGTF joint and combined operations, voice and data interconnectivity between all friendly C2 assets is imperative.

The Air Defense Communications Platform (ADCP) is a shelterized HMMWV based air defense communications node. Its primary mission is to convey Theater Ballistic Missile Defense (TBMD) information collected by the AN/TPS-59 radar to elements of the theater integrated air defense system. The ADCP receives, processes, transmits, and forwards critical voice and target data information to required MACCS agencies and Joint users of the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) network.

The ADCP system consists of Sun UltraSparc Single-Board Computers (SBC) in a VME chassis, workstations, a TADIL-J terminal, various communication subsystems, a duplex Intra-Battery Data Link (IBDL) capability, Ground Based Data Link (GBDL) ports and the capacity to receive Tactical Ballistic Missile (TBM) targets directly from the AN/TPS-59 long range surveillance radar via Point-to-Point Data Link (PPDL).  The equipment is housed in a Shelterized-Integrated Command Post Shelter (SICPS) mounted on an M1097 High-Mobility Multi-Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). A MEP-3 mobile diesel-fueled generator powers the system.

The Communications Data Link System (CDLS) is an extremely high-speed wideband data link that transmits signal and imagery intelligence data between reconnaissance aircraft sensors and associated surface ship processing systems.

The CDLS is a "dual system" package that includes two antennas and two data link electronic for each ship, allowing naval commanders to track aircraft from any location aboard vessel. It also provides 15 different waveforms that can be transmitted at top speed to nearly all variants of military aircraft.

Comments

Commenting on the contract, Randall A. Wotring, President of Federal Services for URS, said: "We are honored by this contract award which allows us to expand our relationship with both the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. We look forward to supporting the readiness of their valuable C4ISR assets."

References: URS (1), MCTSSA (2), Dote.Osd.Mil (3), GlobalSecurity.org (4), Marine Corps (5), Cubic (6)

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