Marshall, UTC announce Middle East ISTAR contracts
Marshall Land Systems and UTC Aerospace Systems are working together to develop new Intelligence, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (ISTAR) imagery ground control stations (GCS) for two armed forces in the Middle East. The companies are developing the equipment under contracts worth over £2.5 million.
The GCS under development is being designed to fit into a Marshall shelter that will be mounted on the back of a military utility vehicle.
Fitted inside the shelter will be ISTAR imagery interpretation equipment from UTC. The units will provide the customers with a highly mobile solution able to keep up with deployable command centres wherever they go. In the case of one of the contracts there will also be trailer mounted generating equipment to give the system its own integral power source.
Ray Cutting, managing director, Marshall Land Systems, said: ‘This contract is an excellent example of two companies working closely together in partnership with the customer and designing a system which is fit-for-purpose. Our experience of providing similar solutions to customers across the world, including the UK Ministry of Defence, and our reputation for providing value for money were factors in our selection for these contracts.’
The GCS will enter service with the armed forces of the two unnamed Middle East nations in the next 12 months.
The coming months will see the companies finalise the design in partnership with the customers, ensure the systems are fully EMC compliant, and that they provide a high quality climatic work environment before undergoing full mobility, electronic and role trials.
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