Wilmington, MA - June 8, 2006 - Textron Systems Corporation, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced today that its Tactical Unattended Ground Sensor (T-UGS) System, part of the U.S. Army's Future Combat System, was successfully demonstrated at the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006 (JEFX '06) hosted by the U.S. Air Force at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. JEFX '06 is the 6th in a series of Chief of Staff of the Air Force-directed (CSAF), large-scale field experiments designed to validate potential capabilities of new and advancing technologies, as well as the inter-operability of U.S. military assets. The networked force initiatives pursued at JEFX '06 are a continuation of Network Centric Operations exercises first conducted in 2004.
The unattended T-UGS system used in the JEFX exercises demonstrated for the first time the interoperability of multi-service technology by providing shared situational awareness that linked FCS ground-based control operations with fly-by strike aircraft. Seismic and acoustic sensors were able to detect, track, and report target information via an intelligence network in near real time. The synchronization and fusion of the data transmitted by the T-UGS sensors to the command and control center revealed and identified "red" or enemy threats that were fused automatically with "blue" or friendly force situational information creating a common operating picture for the commander.
"Textron Systems is very committed to fielding technology that will make a difference in today's battlefield, and impact future force capability, as well," said Ellen Lord, vice president of Intelligent Battlefield Systems, Textron Systems. "Our Unattended Ground Sensor Systems are just one example of how the U.S. Army and FCS team have been able to anticipate what our Warfighters' needs are now and in the future."
According to Don Depree, director, C4ISR systems, Boeing, "Employing a network-centric battlefield creates a decisive advantage for our Warfighters by allowing them to accomplish objectives quicker and with fewer personnel. Textron Systems' T-UGS technology gives them a strong basis upon which to make critical decisions and help ensure troop safety."
The FCS UGS program consists of two subgroups of sensing systems: tactical and urban. Both systems have multiple sensing nodes that are wirelessly networked to pass information to Warfighters. T-UGS are deployable by hand in the first spinout of FCS technologies to the Army in 2008 and will be remotely deployable from aircraft, UAVs and helicopters in the third spinout which will be fielded in 2012. Tactical UGS (T-UGS) can identify a wide range of threats – from tanks, to heavy-wheeled vehicles, to small pick-up trucks, to rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft and even people. Tactical UGS nodes incorporate multiple sensing modalities that allow targets to be detected, tracked, and identified – day or night.
In October 2003, Textron Systems was selected by the Future Combat System lead systems integrators, Boeing and SAIC, as one of the major FCS industry partners and the sole UGS provider. The company has since been awarded a $100M contract to develop UGS systems for the U.S. Army's groundbreaking FCS program. Textron Systems' UGS have since been identified as among the first four of 18 network-supported and integrated ground and air systems ready to be fielded in 2009. Textron Systems is recognized as a leader in the technology of Unattended Ground Sensors, supplying International military forces with their Terrain Commander® family of sensors and the Target Recognition Sensor-Seismic and Acoustic (TRS-SA) for the U.S. Marine Corps.
About Textron Systems
Textron Systems provides innovative technology solutions to meet the needs of the global aerospace and defense industries. The company supports military precision engagement and dominant maneuver with strike weapons, mobility and surveillance systems. The Textron name is well known in the areas of advanced weapons, surveillance systems, aircraft control components, specialty marine craft and armored vehicles. Textron Systems Corporation ("Textron Systems") is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avco Corporation. Avco Corporation is wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc. More information is available at www.systems.textron.com.
About Textron
Textron Inc. is a $10 billion multi-industry company operating in 33 countries with approximately 37,000 employees in continuing operations. The company leverages its global network of aircraft, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO and Greenlee, among others. More information is available at www.textron.com.