Under increment two of the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) program, the Navy awarded eight companies a $4.1 billion multiple award contract (MAC) vehicle on December 16 to modernize the Navy’s afloat networks and associated infrastructure.

The winning companies include BAE Systems

, DRS Laurel Technologies, Management Services Group doing business as Global Technical Systems, L3Harris Technologies [LHX] , Leidos [LDOS], Peraton, Serco and VT Milcom. They are all participants in the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for CANES production units, software – initial, renewals and maintenance, spares and system components, and lab equipment.

Graphic describing the Navy's CANES system. (Image: DoD)
Graphic describing the Navy’s CANES system. (Image: DoD)

In the CANES program, the Navy seeks to modernize the service’s shipboard computing systems and consolidate five legacy afloat networks into a single one. The contract notice said this provides the infrastructure for applications, systems and services “required to dominate the cyber warfare tactical domain.”

CANES is also a major part of the Navy’s modernization plans via upgrading cybersecurity, command and control, communications and intelligence systems (C4I) afloat, and also by replacing unaffordable and obsolete networks, the notice added.

The Navy said the main goals of CANES is to provide a secure afloat network required for naval and joint operations; consolidate and reduce the number of afloat networks via using Common Computing Environment and mature cross domain technologies; reduce the infrastructure footprint and associated logistics, sustainment and training costs; and “increase reliability, security, interoperability and application hosting to meet current and projected warfighter requirements.”

In August 2021, the Navy published a notice that the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) intended to release a Request For Proposals (RFP) to procure the follow-up to the CANES full deployment contract by early fiscal year 2022, also called phase two (Defense Daily, Aug. 18, 2021).

Consolidated Afloat Ships Network Enterprise Services (CANES) racks in the newly refitted Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific Network Integration and Engineering Facility in San Diego, Calif. (U.S. Navy photo October 2018 by Rick Naystatt/Released).
Consolidated Afloat Ships Network Enterprise Services (CANES) racks in the newly refitted Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific Network Integration and Engineering Facility in San Diego, Calif. (U.S. Navy photo October 2018 by Rick Naystatt/Released).

Earlier in 2021,  Rear Adm. Douglas Small, commander of Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, said a CANES capability would be part of the minimally viable product of Project Overmatch to be delivered to the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group in 2023 (Defense Daily, Feb. 9, 2021).

Previously, in 2014 Northrop Grumman [NOC], General Dynamics [GD], BAE Systems, Global Technical Systems and Serco won a $2.5 billion total contract for full deployment of phase one of CANES.

Work for this new MAC will occur in multiple U.S. locations and is expected to be finished by December 2032.

Contract actions and funds will be obligated as individual delivery orders are issued, with no funding obligated at the time of award.

The Navy said this MAC was competitively procured with 10 offers received, but did not disclose the two other offerors.