NEWS IN BRIEF FROM AUSA PART IV

07 Oct 08. DRS showed its Distant Sentry system at AUSA. Distant Sentry is a rugged and autonomous system which provides long target detection, classification and dissemination capability. The system was recently chosen under DRS’s Jordan Border protection contract win. In addition to Distant Sentry, the DRS solution will provide communications connectivity between the Distant Sentry™ towers and mobile and fixed Command and Control (C2) Centers. Within the C2 Centers, DRS will provide software and computing systems, situational awareness displays and connectivity to the Jordan Armed Forces command and control infrastructure. “DRS has a proud legacy of providing integrated border surveillance systems and products, including ground radars and infrared cameras,” Richard S. Danforth, president of DRS’ C3 business told BATTLESPACE. “We were pleased to have been selected to provide a complete, integrated border security solution that will help the Jordanians maintain their national security.” The DRS integrated border surveillance system is an end-to-end, scaleable system. On the front lines, DRS will provide Distant Sentry™ mobile and fixed surveillance towers that utilize a variety of COTS sensors. In addition, the company will design a nation-wide border security architecture. DRS will also provide post delivery, maintenance, logistics and training support of the system. The work for this award will be accomplished by the company’s DRS Command, Control and Communications (C3) Systems unit in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

24 Oct 08. Northrop Grumman unveils CPP Light prototype. Northrop Grumman Mission Systems (NGMS) exhibited the prototype of its high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV)-borne Command Post Platform (CPP) Light at the AUSA 2008 convention in October. The programme, for which NGMS was awarded an initial contract in August 2004 worth up to USD400 million and another for the development phase of the CPP Light in mid-September 2008, is designed to provide a range of digital command posts for the US Army as part of the Standard Integrated Command Post System (SICPS) . (Source: Jane’s, IDR)