Navy picks eight for $4.1 billion shipboard computers and networking contract; protests may be expected
SAN DIEGO – U.S. Navy shipboard electronics experts are choosing eight companies to share as much as $4.1 billion over the next decade for computers and networking equipment for cyber warfare aboard Navy surface warships and submarines.
Officials of the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) IN San Diego, announced a $4.1 billion contract for the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) computer hardware, software, spare parts, maintenance, and laboratory equipment.
Companies chosen are:
BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc. in Rockville, Md.;
Leonardo DRS Naval Electronics in Johnstown, Pa.;
Global Technical Systems in Virginia Beach, Va.;
L3Harris Technologies C5 Integrated Systems in Camden, N.J.;
Leidos in Reston, Va.;
Peraton in Herndon, Va.;
Serco in Herndon, Va.; and
VTG Milcom in Virginia Beach, Va.
These companies will compete for orders over the next 10 years for CANES production units; software; software renewals; software maintenance; spares and system components; and lab equipment.
CANES will consolidate and replace existing afloat networks and networking infrastructure for applications, systems, and services for tactical cyber warfare.
CANES will upgrade cyber security, command and control, communications and intelligence systems afloat, and replace unaffordable and obsolete networks.
The primary goals of the CANES program are to provide a secure afloat network for naval and joint operations; consolidate afloat networks using a common computing system; mature cross-domain computer technologies; reduce the size, training requirements, and logistics for shipboard networking; and increase reliability, security, interoperability, and application hosting.
CANES serves as the bridge to the future of Navy afloat networks, consolidating existing legacy and stand-alone networks, providing infrastructure for tactical applications, systems, and services, Navy officials say. CANES will consolidate and modernize shipboard network systems to improve operational effectiveness and affordability across the fleet.
CANES delivers its capabilities within one system, bringing infrastructure that will enable timely and interoperable information exchange among tactical, support, and administrative users, applications, and computer systems.
NAVWAR awarded a $2.53 billion shared contract in 2015 to seven companies for CANES-related computers, communications, and networking equipment after a 2014 contractor protest brought the program to a temporary halt.
The seven companies that received CANES contracts nearly eight years ago are BAE Systems; General Dynamics C4 Systems; Global Technical Systems; Northrop Grumman Corp.; Serco Inc.; CGI Federal; and Leonardo DRS.
These seven contractors have manufactured CANES equipment for shipboard networking based on individual Navy orders. The Northrop Grumman Corp. Information Systems segment in San Diego, chosen in early 2012 to be the overall CANES shipboard electronics systems architect as part of a $37 million contract, and is installing CANES equipment aboard surface warships. With options, the CANES contract to Northrop Grumman could be worth as much as $638 million.
Resulting from Friday's contract, BAE Systems, Global Technical Systems, Serco Inc., and Leonardo DRS remain CANES computers and networking contractors, while General Dynamics C4 Systems, Northrop Grumman Corp., and CGI Federal drop out. New contractors are L3Harris, Leidos, Peraton, and VTG Milcom.
Related: Northrop Grumman wins $37 million to produce CANES for U.S. Navy
A contract involving this many companies that is worth more than four billion dollars, is likely to generate protests could halt work temporarily until protest claims are sorted out -- just like the contracts that were awarded originally in 2014.
On Friday's CANES hardware and software contract, the companies will do the work in Huntsville, Ala.; San Diego, Calif.; Largo, Fla.; Ayer, Mass.; Long Beach, Miss.; Camden, N.J.; Johnstown, Pa.; Summerville, S.C.; and Clarksville, Gainesville, Sterling, and Virginia Beach, Va., and should be finished by December 2032.
For more information contact NAVWAR online at www.navwar.navy.mil.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
