General Dynamics C4 Awarded $70 Million to outfit anoter Stryker Brigade Combat Team with Land Warrior Gear
General Dynamics C4 Systems has been awarded a $70 million contract to deliver a new, lighter-weight version of the Land Warrior integrated fighting system, equipping the 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division Stryker Brigade Combat Team (5/2 SBCT) prior to its deployment to Iraq in 2009. The new system offers more advanced features and most importantly, weighs only 7.2 pounds, down from almost 17 pounds of the original system fielded in 2006.
System improvements, including size, weight and power reductions, resulted from feedback received directly from soldiers equipped with a previous generation of Land Warrior in Iraq. Their suggestions helped guide a team working at the General Dynamics-sponsored EDGE Innovation Network to improve the ‘fightability’ of the Land Warrior system. Technologies and services integrated in the new gear will include built-in text messaging capabilities; maps and imagery that can be changed by leaders while on-the-move; virtual ‘chem-lights’ that identify known enemy locations; and acoustic sniper detection. Land Warrior was first deployed to Iraq in 2007 with the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, also based in Ft. Lewis. During their missions Land Warrior systems provided digital links of deployed patrols to the battlefield network for improved situational awareness, survivability, mission speed and effectiveness.
According to Mark Showah, director of integrated systems for General Dynamics C4 Systems, describes the Land Warrior system as ” It’s the cornerstone for future ground warfighter systems”, indicating it has become a battle command-and-control tool that enables leaders to maintain full command, control and communications of their units when operating dismounted from their vehicles outside of their vehicles to more effectively and efficiently command General Dynamics C4 Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).
The Land Warrior system provides command-and-control, computing, communication and position-location technologies that will digitally link theStryker brigade’s infantry soldiers to the battlefield network while they are on missions, improving their situational awareness, survivability, mission speed and effectiveness. The slimmer Land Warrior system now weighs 7.2 pounds, down from approximately 17 pounds in 2006.
