Two contracts, together worth approximately $378 million, have been awarded to General Dynamics [GD] U.K. to upgrade the U.K. armed forces Bowman military communications system, the Ministry of Defence said.
The contracts are to provide: improved performance and sustainability through proactive obsolescence management; increased quantities of equipment to meet user needs; optimization of Bowman system performance through improvements to planning and system management applications; improved interoperability with other U.K. and allied systems; and improved synergies with Bowman CIP support solution.
Bowman CIP (BCIP) is a tactical command and control system employed by the three U.K. services. It is a fully secure digital system that provides the armed forces with secure voice communications, battle management applications and improved situational awareness in the land environment. BCIP comprises the Bowman radio system and the ComBat battle management application together with specialist IT equipment to allow its use in Headquarters and vehicles.
The first contract, known as Capability Release 1.5, is worth about $195 million and will update and refresh the system’s capabilities over its lifetime to reflect advances in technology. The second contract, valued at about $183.8 million, will provide longer term technical support for the Bowman programme and will include repair, field services and the provision of spares.
Minister for Defence Equipment and Support Quentin Davies said: “Bowman has been used successfully in Iraq and Afghanistan, where secure, faster communications and data exchange is saving lives on the front line. It is a key element of a comprehensive suite of communications systems to provide a robust network that allows commanders to exercise command and control effectively.”
The contracts reflect work with industry that rapidly allows the ministry to adapt to technological advances and the evolving operational demands of front line troops.
The work will help sustain several hundred jobs at the General Dynamics’ Oakdale site in South Wales.
Bowman’s secure radio communications, declared in service on time in 2004, have been used on operations since 2005, together with a basic data capability. The Bowman system has been developed and integrated by General Dynamics U.K. into over 13,000 British Army vehicles, together with headquarters, ships, and helicopters. The MoD recently purchased an additional 2,139 radios, with an option for a further 437, in order to meet the demands of current operations and their associated training needs.
Sandy Wilson, president and managing director of General Dynamics UK, said: “Bowman has allowed General Dynamics U.K. to grow a valuable engineering capability in communications and vehicle integration. That capability is a good example of the industrial benefit to the U.K. that comes from the close partnership between MoD and General Dynamics U.K., working together on the future of Bowman and vehicle electronic architectures.”