General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems to Integrate Ship Mission System for Austal Joint High Speed Vessel

The U.S. Navy awarded Austal USA a contract for the detailed design and construction of the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) on Thursday, Nov. 13. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, a subcontractor to Austal USA, will be the ship mission system integrator over the life of the expected 10-ship program. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).

The Joint High Speed Vessel will be capable of transporting troops and their equipment, supporting humanitarian relief efforts, operating in shallow waters, and reaching speeds in excess of 35 knots fully loaded. The vessels will be a joint-use platform operated by both the U.S. Army and Navy.

Under the Navy contract, Austal will design and construct the first 103-meter JHSV. Austal expects options for nine additional vessels to be exercised between FY09 and FY13.

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems will design, integrate and test the ship’s electronic systems including an Open Architecture Computing Infrastructure (OpenCI), internal and external communication, electronic navigation, aviation and armament systems. General Dynamics will leverage its integration experience and open computing infrastructure from its work on the General Dynamics’ Littoral Combat Ship program.

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems designs, develops, manufactures, integrates, operates and maintains mission systems for defense, space, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, homeland security and homeland defense customers. Headquartered in Fairfax, Va., the company specializes in ground systems, imagery processing, mission payloads, space vehicles; maritime subsurface, surface and airborne mission systems; and tasking, collection, processing, exploitation, and dissemination programs for national intelligence. More information is available on the Internet at www.gd-ais.com.