Navy asks MIKEL to develop submarine software for weapons, data fusion, target analysis, and decision making
WASHINGTON, 2 Jan. 2011.Submarine sonar signal processing experts at MIKEL Inc. in Fall River, Mass., will research automation and data fusion, target motion analysis, weapon employment, and tactical decision aids for U.S. Navy submarines under terms of a $9.1 million contract announced late last week from Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington.
MIKEL specialists will focus on improving automation and human factors issues to help reduce manning requirements aboard Navy submarines. In particular, MIKEL will develop tactical combat and surveillance submarine software for systems such as sonar, combat control, weapons, communications, command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence, and navigation. The company also will develop non-tactical software for undersea fixed-site and portable tracking ranges.
MIKEL is doing the submarine-related research and development for the Navy's Team Submarine organization, which includes the Navy's Submarine Combat System Program Office that develops and acquires the combat and weapons control systems for existing and future submarines.
The Navy's unified Team Submarine organization also includes the Ohio-class submarine replacement program office; the special operation forces mobility program office; the submarine acoustic systems program office; the undersea weapons program office; the undersea defensive warfare systems program office; the submarine sensor systems program office; and the Virginia-class fast attack submarine program office.
MIKEL specializes in submarine sonar signal processing, combat system data processing improvements, fixed and portable underwater tracking ranges, tactical analysis, and training evaluation tools for submarine attack centers and fleet anti-submarine warfare analysis.
Company experts will do work on the contract in Fall River, Mass.; Manassas, Va.; Laurel, Fla.; North Kingstown, R.I.; and Poulsbo, Wash., and should be finished by December 2015.
For more information contact MIKEL online at www.mikelinc.com, or Naval Sea Systems Command at www.navsea.navy.mil.
John Keller | Editor
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.
