AF Awards Rockwell Collins $140 M for Next-Gen Military Test Range Infrastructure

(Cedar Rapids, Iowa, August 17, 2010) -- The U.S. Air Force has selected Rockwell Collins as the prime contractor to develop, integrate and deliver the Common Range Integrated Instrumentation System (CRIIS), a next-generation military test range system. The initial contract is valued at $140 million. With options, the contract is valued at more than $300 million.

The CRIIS program will replace the Advanced Range Data System currently in use at major U.S. military test ranges. The program fulfills a critical Department of Defense (DoD) requirement to provide Time, Space, and Position Information (TSPI) and system test data to support weapon system testing for a variety of platforms, including advanced aircraft, ships, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, ground vehicles and dismounted soldiers.

"Rockwell Collins' proven technology, coupled with our open systems approach, enables the Air Force to deliver a low-risk solution for military test ranges today and for the coming decades," said Ron Hornish, vice president and general manager of Precision Strike Solutions for Rockwell Collins. "Ultimately, this approach gives the military the ability to more effectively test and evaluate system performance, so that those next generation systems can be deployed to the field more rapidly and with a high degree of confidence."

Rockwell Collins was one of two companies awarded phase I risk reduction contracts in 2008. Phase I - which was completed in June 2010 - required contractors to demonstrate technology that delivers enhanced TSPI, data links and encryption technology. The Rockwell Collins team includes Cubic Defense Applications, Honeywell and ArgonST.

Source : Rockwell Collins, Inc. (NYSE: COL)