General Dynamics Mission Systems announced it was awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to design, fabricate, test, and deliver Containerized Tethered Elevated Mast (C-TEM) prototypes to the U.S. Navy. C-TEM was competitively procured via the Unmanned Surface Vehicle Family of Systems multiple award contract and provides line-of-sight communication extension for surface ships. A delivery order for the first C-TEM mast has been exercised with $10.1 million of funding obligated at the time of award. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this delivery order to $39.4 million. If all options are exercised, work will continue through June 2027.
“Terrestrial communications remains a critical tool for digital connectivity for manned and unmanned vehicles. Elevating antennas from moving platforms is no easy task as it requires a well-coordinated dance between air-sea platforms. We believe C-TEM systems can have meaningful impact on future naval unmanned maritime missions around the globe,” said Mike Piasecki, president, Dragonfly Pictures, Inc.
“General Dynamics Mission Systems leadership as a mission integrator for the Navy’s hybrid fleet is coupled with the innovative offering from our small business teammate Dragonfly Pictures Inc. Our solution will provide extended sensor, network and communications capabilities for the future Hybrid fleet,” said Stan Kordana, vice president for Surface Systems at General Dynamics Mission Systems.
General Dynamics Mission Systems is a business unit of American defense and aerospace company General Dynamics. General Dynamics Mission Systems integrates secure communication and information systems and technology. General Dynamics Mission Systems has core manufacturing in secure communications networks; radios and satellite technology for the defense, cyber, public safety, and intelligence communities. General Dynamics Mission Systems was formed in January 2015 when General Dynamics combined the company’s C4 Systems and Advanced Information Systems.[3] General Dynamics C4 Systems was originally owned by GTE and operated as GTE Government Systems. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems provided mission-related systems development, integration and operations support. General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies, a subsidiary of GDMS, was sold to CPI International in June 2020.
