General Dynamics Participates in SPAWAR Charleston’s Effort in U.S. Navy’s Hurricane Exercise 2007

FAIRFAX, Va. – General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), supported the U.S. Navy’s May 7-9 Hurricane Exercise 2007 (HURREX 07) by providing the latest in secure wireless communications for SPAWAR Charleston at the U.S. Navy Submarine Base, Groton, Conn., and Newport, R.I.

General Dynamics deployed its Secure Wireless Infrastructure System (SWIS) at the HURREX strike areas in Groton and Newport. The system provides secure wireless infrastructure that can be rapidly deployed if storms, natural disasters or other events disable existing telecommunications infrastructure. SWIS leverages a variety of wireless devices – ruggedized voice-enabled laptop computers, tablets and public safety radios, used for the secure transmission of voice, video and data – to deliver the wireless connectivity that Department of Defense, federal and homeland security agencies need to complete their missions.

“General Dynamics is pleased that our state-of-the-art communications products and technologies contributed to the success of SPAWAR Charleston’s participation in HURREX 07,” said Ken Slaght, vice president and general manager of Navy/Air Force Systems Maritime Systems for General Dynamics Information Technology. “In a natural disaster, the Secure Wireless Infrastructure System (SWIS) allows emergency personnel to respond to critical situations faster, helping to ensure the safety and security of residents.”

General Dynamics C4 Systems also provided technology in support of HURREX 07, including the Warrior™ 120 Satellite Communications Terminal, ruggedized GoBook® computers and the AccessNet™ radio-interoperability solution. These technologies enabled the SWIS to provide reliable communications to a variety of users.
HURREX 07 was a comprehensive proactive exercise using scenarios to prepare Navy personnel to help with ship deployment, evacuation, emergency preparedness, personnel accountability and recovery. HURREX included four artificially constructed tropical storm systems that developed and intensified to hurricane strength, affecting the Caribbean, East Coast and Gulf Coast regions. In addition to the Fleet Forces Command, multiple commands from the Eastern seaboard also participated. As storms approached each region, Navy messages were released with orders to account for personnel, designating a start time for personnel accountability and family assessment procedure.