General Dynamics wins tactical radio subcontract

When you have a project as large as the U.S. military's Joint Tactical Radio System, you need some strong helping hands. To test and certify these advanced radio systems, Lockheed Martin Corp. is turning to General Dynamics Corp.

The Falls Church, Va., defense contractor has won a subcontract that may be worth as much as $140 million to help with the maritime and fixed-site joint tactical radio capabilities and provide information assurance for Lockheed Martin's Airborne, Maritime and Fixed Site JTRS team.

Under the terms of the subcontract, General Dynamics C4 Systems, of Scottsdale, Ariz., will develop and provide qualification testing for the joint tactical radios for maritime and fixed sites. These responsibilities include radio set certification, waveform integration and deployment of fixed-site communication equipment. The company is also overseeing the information assurance development for the networked communications aspects of the project.

Lockheed Martin, of Bethesda, Md., announced on March 29 that it had won a $766 million contract to provide the advanced radio systems to the Defense Department. The project is an integral part of DOD's vision for a tactical global information grid that will enable the movement of secure data, voice and video across tactical platforms for joint forces, aircraft and maritime assets and fixed sites worldwide.

Other key subcontractors on the project are BAE Systems Inc., Northrop Grumman Corp., and Raytheon Co.

The General Dynamics unit will perform the work at its facilities in Scottsdale, Ariz.

General Dynamics ranks No. 7 on Washington Technology's 2007 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.