• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Excelitas Qioptiq banner

BATTLESPACE Updates

   +44 (0)77689 54766
   

  • Home
  • Features
  • News Updates
  • Defence Engage
  • Company Directory
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media Pack 2023

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED WITH BOWMAN SOFTWARE

April 21, 2005 by

14 Apr 05. On 27th August 2002 General Dynamics acquired privately held
Command System Incorporated (CSI) of Fort Wayne, Indiana; terms of the transaction were not disclosed. CSI provides command and control software and hardware to U.S. and international military markets; it has 34 employees. The purchase price was reported to be around $80m.

The company had put itself up for sale and BATTLESPACE understands that TRW and Raytheon also looked at a possible purchase. A source close to BATTLESPACE said that when his company looked at the purchase they ruled it out as there was, ‘Not much functionality in the system and it lacked a robust interface which meant that the system might not function efficiently in the required use for advanced C4I systems.’ CSI had sold some systems to Eastern Europe and the U.S. Marine Corps but for less demanding requirements than FBCB2 or BOWMAN

GD announced the purchase: “CSI became part of General Dynamics C4 Systems, which is based in Taunton, Massachusetts. Specializing in rapid deployment and development of command and control systems, CSI has sold more than 300,000 licenses in eight countries for its off-the-shelf command and control suites. It is a participant in the U.S. Army Future Combat Systems program, and its products are key elements of the Army’s Objective Force Warrior, the UK’s BOWMAN and Digitization programs. Prior to the acquisition, Command Systems was already working on the BOWMAN programme and as the system moves to the next stage of Digitization, the company’s workload should increase substantially. Experience in the US showed that once the Force XXI program moved from simulation to fielding, one of the most important aspects was the networking capabilities of the contractor.”

The acquisition of Command Systems was believed to have saved GD the reported $25m cost of a licence for the BOWMAN software. However the problems encountered, one of data messages not being recognised by the recipient computer are being overcome by GD, but other problems also remain.

To analyse the problem, we return to the original BOWMAN bidding process and the vital 7th Question which was worded, we believe, to require the companies to give pricing and details of BOWMAN and beyond, the CIP or Combat Information Platform. The TRW bid, led by Neil Siegel is believed to have priced the CIP at around $400m but was prepared to price it in at around $200m as part of the overall BOWMAN project, the system bid would be based around the FBCB2 software, Thales meanwhile declined to bid the CIP at that time as they did not have a suitable system whilst GD said that they would undertake the requirement but would not offer a price.

When GD won BOWMAN, some sources suggest that it was the $200m offered by TRW for CIP against the $0 by GD, which swung the deal GD’s way. Latterly the company was allowed by the MoD to run its own competition for the £300m+ CIP contract. TRW, Thales and CSI bid the requirement and CSI won. We also believe that the MoD asked DERA at Fort Halstead to run a competition and Fort Halstead, we understand, ranked TRW first followed by Thales and CSI trailing a weak third.

Thus GD won the £300m+ CIP requirement using CSI, a company it later bought. It is ironic to observe that the £300m ($425m @2002 £-$ of 1.419av) CIP contract actually, at first sight, cost the UK Government $225m MORE than the TRW bid.

In our feature this year, ‘BOWMAN – MEETING MILESTONES’, BATTLESPACE Editor, Julian Nettlefold asked GD’s Andrew Browne whether the system development was proceeding to plan and delivery, “Obviously the introduction of the CIP and the complexity of the tactical internet has required further development to enable seamless messaging. In addition security requirements demanded by the advanced Crypto system mean that our user cannot obtain the capability he requires for this seamless system, this is being addressed as we speak.”

Phil Merison of ITT Defence (UK) Ltd

Primary Sidebar

Advertisers

  • qioptiq.com
  • Exensor
  • TCI
  • Visit the Oxley website
  • Visit the Viasat website
  • Blighter
  • SPECTRA
  • Britbots logo
  • Faun Trackway
  • Systematic
  • CISION logo
  • ProTEK logo
  • businesswire logo
  • ProTEK logo
  • ssafa logo
  • Atkins
  • IEE
  • EXFOR logo
  • KME logo
  • DSEi
  • sibylline logo
  • Team Thunder logo
  • Commando Spirit - Blended Scoth Whisy
  • Comtech logo
Hilux Military Raceday Novemeber 2023 Chepstow

Contact Us

BATTLESPACE Publications
Old Charlock
Abthorpe Road
Silverstone
Towcester NN12 8TW

+44 (0)77689 54766

BATTLESPACE Technologies

An international defence electronics news service providing our readers with up to date developments in the defence electronics industry.

Recent News

  • PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

    January 26, 2023
    Read more
  • EXHIBITIONS AND CONFERENCES

    January 20, 2023
    Read more
  • MANAGEMENT ON THE MOVE

    January 20, 2023
    Read more

Copyright BATTLESPACE Publications © 2002–2023.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. If you continue to use the website, we'll assume you're ok with this.   Read More  Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT