The US Marine Corps (USMC) has awarded a contract to a General Dynamics (GD) C4 Systems-led team to support the common aviation command and control system (CAC2S) programme to enable sharing of real-time air and ground picture during missions.
As part of increment 1, Phase 2 of the CAC2S programme, a GD-led team will develop four engineering development models and nine limited deployment units of the processing and display/sensor data subsystem (PDS/SDS).
General Dynamics C4 Systems president Chris Marzilli said: "By supporting swift and decisive movement from the sea, the air and on the ground, this next-generation command-and-control system is a key enabler of the Marine Corps amphibious capabilities."
USMC will use the PDS/SDS from sea, in the air and on land during a mission to provide a real-time picture of current scenarios while enabling faster and more informed decision making.
The aviation command-and-control enabler, PDS/SDS will also be used by the three USMC’s mission-critical air command and control organisations, which include Tactical Air Command Center, the Direct Air Support Center and Tactical Air Operations Center.
The Tactical Air Command Center provides airspace management, while the Direct Air Support Center and Tactical Air Operations Center offer air assault and other airborne operations, as well as performing air surveillance and controling air-to-air fighter and air defence respectively.
Capable of enhancing marines’ mobility and agility on land, air and sea, the subsystems are smaller, lighter and more energy efficient when compared with previous stove-piped systems.
The complete CAC2S programme aims to deliver manufacturing and operational efficiencies, as well as reducing training and logistics support costs.
Raytheon, Smartronix, Ternion and Engility form the GD-led team for the contract, which has options that would bring its total value to $61.4m.
