The U.S. Navy has awarded Raytheon a $38.7 million contract to design, produce and deliver Ship Self-Defense System (SSDS) Mk 2 enhanced to an open architecture computing environment (OACE).
“This is a significant award, as this work will make the open system SSDS the first combat system to be OACE compliant,” said Dan Smith, president of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems.
“In addition, it promotes SSDS OACE capability into joint warfighter applications like CAC2S for the Marine Corps, the Littoral Combat Ship, and the multi-mission surface combatant DD(X). This truly paves the way for the Navy’s open architecture roadmap both in future systems and in-service systems.”
Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems will lead the current SSDS Mk 2 to an OACE Category 3 state, deliver new software and produce two tactical ship sets, one commercial ship set and three test beds.
The U.S. Navy will take delivery of one tactical ship set for use at the Wallops Island test facility and one test bed for use at the Open Architecture Test Facility in Dahlgren, Va. The remaining equipment will be retained at the Raytheon SSDS OACE lab in San Diego, Calif., for development and testing.
Raytheon’s SSDS Mk 2 is the only surface combat direction system with COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) hardware and software that has been delivered for tactical certification. SSDS Mk 2 Open Architecture will advance the existing design to meet OACE Category 3 requirements.
SSDS Mk 2 provides a rapid reaction, anti-air defense capability that identifies and classifies targets, prioritizes and conducts engagement, vectors interceptor aircraft to targets, and exchanges targeting information and engagement orders among a naval battle group and various service components in the joint theater.
Work on SSDS will be performed at the Raytheon’s Naval Integration Center, Portsmouth, R.I., and its Expeditionary Warfare Center, San Diego, Calif.
