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LONDON, 1 Sept. 2005. Atkins Defence and the Ministry of Defence announced awards to Thales and to Lockheed Martin U.K. for the design, integration and demonstration of the Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) Electronic Architecture (EA) Technology Demonstrator Programme (TDP).
Atkins also awarded a Chassis Concept (CC) Technology Demonstration Programme (TDP) to General Dynamics United Kingdom Ltd.
The FRES programme will develop a network-enabled family of medium-weight armored vehicle designed for rapid world-wide deployment, thus providing British land forces with the capability to conduct rapid intervention, war fighting, and other operations. FRES will grant them supremacy in battlespace awareness, command and control, precision engagement, survivability, mobility and lethality.
Atkins named both Thales and Lockheed Martin to be downselected for the Electronic Architecture TDP effort, which will span a period of approximately 18 months.
Key objectives of this contract are risk reduction, demonstration of the candidate architecture and validation of the requirement in preparation for the Demonstration and Manufacture Phase of the program. Delivery is planned for the end of 2006.
The two Electronic Architecture contracts will seek to ensure that cutting edge FRES electronics, which will use new technology, will be effective and compatible, said Lord Drayson, the minister for Defence Procurement.
Placing two concurrent contracts will enable MoD to address program risks across the huge range of technologies and potential solutions. It also offers the opportunity for broad industry engagement and innovation at all levels of the supply chain, he said.
The two Electronic Architecture contracts will seek to identify and mitigate risks associated with differing candidate architectures. Lockheed and Thales will also work with other TDP contractors on integration aspects of potential Electronic Architecture solutions.
Lord Drayson said: "This is another positive step for the FRES programme. These contracts are part of a series of risk reduction activities to inform decisions on technologies that are feasible for FRES, ensuring we deliver first class equipment for our armed forces at the best value for the British taxpayer. There will be more TDPs to follow."
FRES is the most significant British armoured vehicle project for the next decade. It will provide a family of medium-weight, armoured fighting vehicles to fulfil a wide range of roles. Delivery of FRES will also enable the elimination of current vehicles such as CVR(T), FV 432, and Saxon.
FRES will be an integral part of an interoperable network and will deliver modern, battle-winning equipment to the Army.
FRES is the first of the Army's Transformational capabilities and is at the heart of the Army's equipment programme. It will have wide operational utility, from peacekeeping to warfighting, and will both equip our medium-weight forces and provide key support roles to our heavy force.
For more information, see www.mod.uk or www.mod.uk/dpa/IPT/FRES.
In the other recent FRES contract award, General Dynamics United Kingdom Ltd. announced August 24 it had won a contract from Atkins for the FRES Chassis Concept (CC) Technology Demonstration Programme (TDP).
The FRES CC TDP is an 18-month program to demonstrate the readiness of in-hub electric-drive and its ability to meet the FRES platform requirements, as well as the integration of a third party Electronic Architecture (EA) into the chassis. General Dynamics will demonstrate its Advanced Hybrid Electric Drive (AHED) 8x8 for this application.
** Lockheed Martin's approach to FRES
The Lockheed Martin solution will look at how FRES could be integrated within the MOD's network-enabled communications system, providing enhanced command and control, communications and intelligence, local situational awareness, target acquisition and precision engagement, survivability, and mobility.
The Electronic Architecture will integrate with the BOWMAN communications system and the Bowman Combat Infrastructure and Platform Battlefield Information Systems Application (BCIP) program, providing seamless communications with all combat, combat support and combat service support systems. A sophisticated Health & Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) will be a key element to reduce the logistical footprint, increase availability and ensure that the whole life cost for the FRES system is tightly controlled.
"We are grateful to our strong U.K. team for their continuous cooperative efforts and hard work and for Atkins Defence and the FRES IPT for recognizing Lockheed Martin U.K.'s ability and commitment to the FRES programme. The steps we have taken for the FRES TDP will ensure a coherent technical approach and provides avenues for incremental technology insertion for the integration of sub-systems for the IOC (Initial Operating Capability) and later FOC (Full Operating Capability) roles," said Gary Balthrop, Lockheed Martin FRES program director.
The FRES EA TDP effort, led by Lockheed Martin, is supported by substantial contributions from U.K. companies including Ultra Electronics, Smiths Aerospace, SciSys, PA Consulting and Cranfield University (Team ISIS).
"Lockheed Martin's desire is to provide the customer with confidence and trust in our ability to conduct an objective and open assessment of potential architectures independent of any particular platform. We have focused our efforts as a U.K. team to adopt a sound analytical approach towards risk reduction resulting in a fully compliant definition of the FRES Electronic Architecture. Our architecture will be suitable for all vehicle variants and includes through-life capability management," said Bob Nager, managing director of the Missiles and Fire Control division of Lockheed Martin U.K.
"Identifying viable architectural concepts and integrating them into complex land warfare systems and platforms is our greatest strength," said Ian Stopps, chief executive of Lockheed Martin U.K. "Our access to related U.K. technologies and knowledge derived from TRACER and other relevant programs, underpins our confidence in executing the FRES Electronic Architecture TDP successfully."
Lockheed Martin U.K., a unit of Lockheed Martin Corp., is a leader in systems integration working on major programmes spanning the aerospace, defence, civil and commercial sectors. In the U.K., Lockheed Martin has annual sales in the range of £400-600 million, working with more than 75 business partners. Lockheed Martin employs approximately 1,000 people across the U.K.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2004 sales of $35.5 billion. For more information, see www.lockheedmartin.com.
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