Boeing

The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a $7.1 million U.S. Navy contract to provide a ship-wide communications network for three guided missile destroyers (DDG).

Under the agreement, Boeing will support the installation and checkout of the Fiber Optic Data Multiplex System (FODMS) for DDG 110 and complete the design of the Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System (GEDMS) for DDGs 111 and 112.

"As the Navy's design agent for FODMS and GEDMS hardware and software, Boeing provides a system that best meets the requirements for modernizing the fleet of DDG 51 Class destroyers and LHD 1-7 amphibious assault ships. This ensures crew safety and fleet survivability," said Jay Nieto, Boeing DMS/FODMS/GEDMS program manager.

The FODMS/GEDMS network is a complete information transfer system that enhances reliability, maintainability and survivability by managing data from the ship's navigation, steering control, damage control, machinery control, combat and internal communications systems.

Currently, DMS/FODMS is installed on 45 percent of naval surface combatants and 34 percent of all surface ships. With the addition of GEDMS, shipboard networking will be available on 65 percent of naval surface combatants and 42 percent of all surface ships. FODMS provides 100 Megabits of bandwidth, compared to 24 Megabits for DMS. GEDMS will provide 1 Gigabit of bandwidth.

The contract, awarded by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, D.C., will be managed by Boeing C3 Networks' Data Multiplex Systems (DMS) and FODMS/GEDMS program. Work will be conducted in Anaheim, Calif., and Arlington, Va., and is expected to be completed by November 2011.