Northrop Grumman is working with the U.S. Army to integrate hardware and software for the Integrated Meteorological System (IMETS).
IMETS provides commanders and staffs with an automated tactical weather system that receives weather data from multiple sources, then processes and disseminates weather observations, forecasts, battlefield visualization and weather-effects decision aids.
Northrop Grumman’s Information Technology (IT) sector has been the IMETS systems integrator since 1992 and has received a one-year follow-on contract with five option years from the Army.
Through this most recent contract, Northrop Grumman IT will integrate commercial and government off-the-shelf software on to Army Common Hardware Software-3, the Army’s standard suite of ruggedized computing hardware.
Government off-the shelf software includes weather applications developed by the Army Research Laboratory.
These applications provide weather forecast data and weather impacts. IMETS provides Army commanders with forecasted weather impacts to better determine and prepare for how weather will affect their operations as well as their enemies’.
For example, IMETS will help determine if icing conditions will prevent the employment of attack helicopters, or if rain will reduce cross-country mobility of enemy armored vehicles.
Working from its facility in Lakewood, Wash., Northrop Grumman IT will develop system software with required security features necessary for operations in a secure military environment.
The company will also develop system interfaces to support sensor input and satellite data communications, and software to support Web services that allow the forecaster to share weather products across the Army’s network.
IMETS is integrated into vehicular mounted shelters and mobile transit cases.
