Lockheed Martin Awarded $42 Million U.S. Army Contract to Provide Improved Signal-location Systems
OWEGO, NY, 07-NOV-06 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has received a $42 million contract to provide U.S. Army surveillance aircraft with next-generation technology that will enable them to precisely locate the source of modern communication signals.
Called Communications High Accuracy Location Sub-systems – Compact (CHALS-C), the system features improved processing speed, enhanced capability and is substantially smaller and lighter than the current systems.
“CHALS-C greatly expands our previous technology and provides the next-generation of precision location systems,” said Louis J. DeSantis, vice president of Systems Solutions at Lockheed Martin Systems Integration – Owego. “The system significantly enhances situational awareness and provides real-time information for battlefield commanders.”
The system’s increased processing speed allows CHALS-C to detect multiple signal types simultaneously. Earlier generation systems could only process one signal sequentially. CHALS-C also uses a common data exchange format that enables interoperability with other precision location systems on a variety of platforms in search of signal emitters. When flown simultaneously aboard two or more surveillance aircraft, CHALS-C can pinpoint the locations of signal emissions by measuring the difference of arrival time and frequency shift at each platform.
Lockheed Martin will provide 40 CHALS-C units to the U.S. Army by 2009. During the past two decades, Lockheed Martin Systems Integration – Owego has provided the U.S. Army with the CHALS family of systems for target intelligence and battlefield situation assessment.
