Northstar Receives Contract Add-on from L-3 for IPMS Simulators of Halifax-class Frigate Upgrade

September 18 2009 --[ASDWire]-- St. John's NL - Northstar Network Ltd. (Northstar) announced today that it has been awarded an add-on to the $2.6 million contract awarded by L-3 Communications MAPPS Inc. (L-3 MAPPS) to build consoles for land-based trainers for the Halifax Class of ships. The original contract, awarded in March, 2009, was to manufacture 66 Standard Marine Consoles and 60 Local Operating Panels as part of its Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS). These simulators will form part of the land based training equipment that will be utilized to train the navy staff in the proper operation of the (IPMS) Consoles that Northstar will be providing to L-3 MAPPS.

L-3 MAPPS' IPMS provides an advanced ship control and monitoring capability for the Frigates' ship platform systems, including propulsion, electrics, auxiliaries, and steering. It also provides advanced functionality with a damage control system, an on-board training system, CCTV integration and an interface with the ship's new combat management system. The simulator console addition to Northstar's IPMS contract will see them designing and manufacturing the MCRT East along with the BDCST East and West Simulators.


"This award demonstrates L-3's confidence in Northstar, and we are very excited about expanding our console manufacturing operation to include developing and manufacturing the associated Navy Simulators hardware. We are very proud to be working with L-3 MAPPS to help deliver these much-needed enhancements to our Frigates, the workhorses of the Canadian Navy. We look forward to an excellent relationship and future business growth with L-3 MAPPS," said Howard Nash, President of Northstar.

L-3 MAPPS first implemented the pioneering Integrated Machinery Control System (IMCS) on the Canadian Patrol Frigate program in the 1980's. Since then, the company has been continuously innovating its open-architecture IPMS, currently exported to 18 navies around the world. "We are very pleased to continue to work with our Newfoundland-based partner, Northstar, a supplier for the fabrication and integration of military standard consoles and operating panels that will form the core components of the Halifax Class IPMS", said Shankar Udupa, Vice-President of Engineering and Operations of L-3 MAPPS.

The Halifax Class frigate is a class of multi-role patrol frigates that have served the Canadian Forces since 1992. The HMCS Halifax was the first of twelve Canadian-designed and built vessels, which combine traditional anti-submarine capabilities with systems to manage surface and air threats. In 2007, the Canadian government announced a planned refit of the Halifax Class known as the Halifax Class Modernization program.

Source : Northstar Network Ltd.