Navy steps up deployment of Air Defense system.

• Author: Book, Elizabeth G.
• Position: Security Beat - Brief Article

Pressing ahead with deployment of its Area Air Defense Commander (AADC) Capability system, the Navy is working on an advanced battle-space management package designed for both forward-deployed operations and homeland defense.

The Naval Sea Systems Command awarded a contract to General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, a subsidiary of Falls Church, Va.-based General Dynamics Corporation, to continue low-rate production and provide engineering support for the system. If all options are exercised, the contract will have a cumulative value of more than $45 million.

The AADC system already is installed on the USS Mount Whitney, a Second Fleet command ship, USS Blue Ridge, a Seventh Fleet command ship, and USS Shiloh, an Aegis-class cruiser. In coming years, the Navy wants to place similar systems on at least 17 other ships and land-based training and testing facilities.

AADC uses commercial off-the-shelf technology to allow joint task force commanders to quickly plan and coordinate air defense across broad operational areas. The...