Boeing

BRISBANE, Queensland, Nov. 16, 2010 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that Vigilare, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Network Centric Command and Control System (NC3S), has passed its final factory and Tactical Data Link (TADIL) acceptance tests.

The tests were performed at Boeing’s Systems Integration Laboratory in Brisbane to prepare Vigilare for final integration at the Eastern Regional Operations Centre (EROC) at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, followed by site and operational testing.

"The tests mark the final engineering release of the system and formally verify that Boeing has met 95 percent of the requirements for Vigilare," said Charles Toups, Boeing vice president and general manager of Network & Tactical Systems. "The remaining requirements will be met during EROC site acceptance testing in early 2011."

The factory acceptance test, held Oct. 18-29, verified Vigilare's enhanced data processing and display, fault detection and isolation, and interactive replay requirements with a 98 percent compliance rate, while the TADIL test, conducted from Sept. 27 to Oct. 15, verified the system's data link software for final EROC acceptance.

"The Boeing Vigilare team is making great progress toward final system delivery," said Steve Parker, vice president of Network & Space Systems for Boeing Defence Australia. "The team has met every milestone this year on or ahead of plan, and achieved consistently high compliance rates during testing.

"Particularly pleasing is that our RAAF and Australian Defence Materiel Organisation customers recognize Vigilare is delivering the advanced battlespace management and surveillance capabilities the Australian warfighter needs," Parker added.

Vigilare entered service with the RAAF at the Northern Regional Operations Centre installation at RAAF Base Tindal, Northern Territory, on Sept. 2. The system has been providing full battlespace management and surveillance operations across Australia; it will continue to do so as it is joined by EROC and final system acceptance takes place in mid-2011.

Network & Space Systems Australia is responsible for developing and delivering Vigilare and the Australian Defence Force's Modernised High Frequency Communications System, which received "project complete" from the Commonwealth of Australia on June 16. The Boeing Defence Australia business unit provides a range of command and control, managed network communications, engineering services and cyber and information solutions.

NC3S is Boeing's international Vigilare product. It combines information in near real-time from a wide range of platforms, sensors, Tactical Data Links and intelligence networks to deliver tactical and strategic surveillance operations and battlespace management in the air and joint domains. The live inputs from these sources present a unified operational picture to the operator at single or multiple operational centers.

Boeing Defence Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company and a business unit of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, is a leading Australian aerospace enterprise. With a world-class team of more than 1,500 employees at 14 locations throughout Australia and two international sites, Boeing Defence Australia supports some of the largest and most complex defense projects in Australia.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

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Contact:

Jenny Waller
Boeing Defence Australia
Office: +61 7 3306 3148
Mobile: +61 434 369 885
jenny.l.waller@boeing.com