Article Posted on : - Jul 13, 2010

A file photo.

TEWKSBURY (BNS): US Navy has awarded a $14.2 million contract to Raytheon for the delivery of Ship Self Defense System (SSDS Mk 2) Open Architecture for four ships and one land-based test facility.

SSDS works as an open distributed combat management system for aircraft carriers and expeditionary warfare ships. It is designed to expedite the detect-to-engage sequence to defend against anti-ship cruise missiles which can be modified to support additional domestic and international combatants, according to a company news release.

Its system links and automates stand-alone sensors and weapon systems to provide the required combat reaction.

Under the contract, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) will assemble, test and deliver upgraded hardware sets that will be integrated on board the US Navy's amphibious assault ship LHA 7, aircraft carriers USS Truman (CVN 75), USS Ford (CVN 78), the amphibious transport dock ship LPD 26 and the Naval Air Systems Command test facility.

This award follows a $7.5 million contract modification for platform system engineering agent services for SSDS. Raytheon will integrate and upgrade the existing combat systems on board amphibious ships and aircraft carriers.

The new open architecture computing environment software in SSDS Mk2 will add a new level of flexibility and commercial standards to support the US Navy's goal for open, modular and interoperable combat management systems for the fleet. The software includes selected components from the Total Ship Computing Environment Infrastructure developed for the DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyer.

Raytheon will perform the work on SSDS at its IDS' Expeditionary Warfare Center, San Diego, California and at the Seapower Capability Center, Portsmouth.