Article Posted on : - Jan 04, 2011

Royal Navy's Type 23 frigates

WASHINGTON (BNS): UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded a $62.74 million contract to BAE Systems Mission Systems to provide support for the Combat Management System (CMS) on the Royal Navy's Type 23 frigates and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Argus.

Under the seven year contract, BAE Systems will provide cost-effective support and services solutions to the armed forces.

The CMS assists a ship's command in detecting and countering threats to the ship and any surrounding forces by managing all relevant external and internal information provided by the ship's radars. It integrates this information with the activities of the anti-air weapons systems as well as other sensors and weapons.

The Joint Support Solution (JSS) provides a common support framework for the CMS on the Type 45 destroyers, Type 23 frigates and RFA Argus, all of which are supplied by BAE Systems. The JSS extends efficiencies to new CMS deployments on future naval ships including the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers providing the Royal Navy with a cost effective long term support solution.

"This contract generates further significant through-life cost savings to the Royal Navy through management and engineering efficiencies. It will achieve the objectives of the Combat Management System Convergence strategy established by the MOD and BAE Systems," David Leitch, Naval Command and Information Systems Director, Mission Systems.

JSS will also provide software support and spares and repairs combined with an innovative obsolescence management strategy designed specifically to resolve the challenges arising from the use of commercial IT equipment in an operational environment.