Navy awards $2.5 billion Cyber and Intelligence deal Defence and Security

Five defense contractors has been awarded by U.S Navy, $2.5 billion worth eight-year contracts to set up standardized shipboard networks.

The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command awarded the multiple-award contract to BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services, Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. and Serco, Inc.,General Dynamics C4 Systems, Global Technical Systems for the indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts for the Navy’s Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services.

The Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) program is aimed to equip every ship in the fleet with a standards-based networks against cybersecurity threats.

CANES acts as a link to the future of Navy’s afloat networks. By integrating present legacy and standalone networks and facilitating the required infrastructure for applications, systems and services to function in the diplomatic domain.

On the CANES contract the five vendors will compete to get the task orders. The present legacy networks are not feasible, according to a Navy Official.

CANES depicts a vital component of the Navy’s modification designing by enhancing cybersecurity, command and control, communications and intelligence systems afloat, says SPAWAR.

According to Rear Adm. Christian Becker, program executive officer for command, control communications and intelligence at SPAWAR - The improved standardization will bring down the number of network variations by ship class throughout the fleet. The present day operating systems are not feasible. CANES permits us to expand present operating systems and then modify or stay current with future transformations to those operating systems in a wider cost efficient and timely way.

By setting up CANES we develops a platform where we can improve our speed to capability, and where we can supervise more effectively our cost of capabilities that runs on top of that platform. Which in turn brings with it our ability to secure our capabilities, our cybersecurity aspect, in different ways that are more effective both for cost and the mission, Becker, added.

Northrop Grumman was selected by SPAWAR for its initial CANES contract worth $638 million in February 2012. CANES setup have been successfully finished on nine destroyers. Installations extends on three carriers, one amphibious assault ship, eight destroyers, one landing dock ship and one cruiser. Furthermore 28 installations are designed across the fiscal 2015 and 2016.