General Dynamics [GD] UK has won three major vehicle integration contracts worth approximately $10 million, the company said in Paris recently.
In the space of 10 weeks, General Dynamics UK’s Platform Services division was selected by the U.K. Ministry of Defence to apply its market-leading Electronic Systems Integration capability onto R-WMIK; by NP Aerospace to install the Bowman Enhanced Communications Suite on the Mastiff II Enhanced Communications Vehicle (ECV); and delivered the first IVECO-based Self Loading Dump Truck with integrated Electronic Counter Measures, Bowman and Power Management system to the MoD.
Toby Marshall, head of Platform Services at General Dynamics UK, said, “The nature of the work we have been asked to do on key platforms currently in use in theater proves our claim that systems integration is the way forward for military fleets, and that General Dynamics UK is the company of choice for platform systems integration.”
For the MoD, General Dynamics UK Platform Services will provide Electronic Systems Integration on the R-WMIK under the R-WMIK+ program.
This project will be the first significant combined integration of Electronic Counter Measures and Bowman suites delivering significant benefit to the end user in terms of lower weight, more space for the crew and improved fightability.
The R-WMIK+ program will provide the platform with a brand new, completely optimized, electronic systems integration package. The platform will be fitted with fully integrated Bowman communications, TacSat and Electronic Counter Measure (ECM/EECM) suites.
The largest challenge of the program will be fitting all of the R-WMIK+ onto the Land Rover platform. To do that, General Dynamics UK reduced the size, weight and volume of the new vehicle installation kits using cutting-edge design techniques. This approach will allow users to easily switch components for dismounted roles as required, while providing maximum space and flexibility.
For NP Aerospace, GDUK Platform Services will integrate the Bowman Enhanced Communications Suite on to the Mastiff II Enhanced Communications Vehicle (ECV). This work follows the company’s successful integration work on the Ridgback Command Variant (CV).
The Platform Services team will help to deliver the Mastiff II ECV back into theater with minimal delay thanks to its innovative approach to the program. In addition to delivering reduced costs to NP Aerospace by basing its solution on the successful Ridgback CV design, the General Dynamics team will also shorten timescales thanks to its unique solution of transferring its skills to NP’s site.
General Dynamics UK Platform Services also was chosen to integrate the Bowman communications and Electronic Counter Measures systems into the IVECO Self Loading Dump Truck (SLDT) along with designing and implementing a complete Power Management system, which saw the first completed vehicle being delivered to the MoD in May. This has allowed Platform Services to deliver a fully integrated and holistic design that works in battle situations, meeting user’s needs quickly, cost effectively and safely, the company said.