The first Integrated Computer Systems (ICS) were delivered last week to the U.S. Army’s Future Combat Systems (FCS) program. The prototype units supplied by the ICS team will provide mobile FCS elements with computing, networking and information assurance resources to enable current force vehicles to be a part of the FCS network. Bradley fighting vehicles, Abrams main battle tanks and Command Variant HMMWVs will be equipped with ICS as part of the first spin-out of FCS future force technologies in 2008. The ICS team include General Dynamics C4 (NYSE:GD) and Rockwell Collins (NYSE:COL).
The ICS was developed in just 21 months to support the rapid spin-out of FCS capability into existing vehicles. ICS provides a common computing environment for 13 of the 14 platforms in the FCS family of systems, comprising a network of sensors, unmanned aerial platforms and manned and unmanned ground platforms. The ICS integrates a wide range of traditionally independent computing applications into a single, integrated, secure processing environment. It provides the FCS-equipped Units of Action with advanced processing, networking, data storage and information assurance generating common operating picture for faster decision-making.
