- GENERAL DYNAMICS DELIVERS 40,000TH RADIO
TO U.S. ARMY-

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. -- General Dynamics Land Systems Tallahassee Operations recently delivered its 40,000th Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) to the U.S. Army Communications and Electronics Command.

SINCGARS is a very high frequency modulated combat radio with transmission and communication security capabilities. The radio, fielded by the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps, is capable of sending and receiving voice and data messages from a variety of battlefield transmission devices.

The SINCGARS Improvement Package (SIP) radio, now being delivered, is a major redesign of the original SINCGARS. The SIP radio includes new operational modes for transmission of computer data on the digitized battlefield. The new modes provide increased rates of transmission, reduced synchronization overheads, and enhanced forward error correction rate. This enables the SINCGARS Improvement Package to move data further, faster, and more efficiently in hostile jamming environments. The SIP radio also incorporates a global position reporting capability that provides accurate location readings anywhere in the world.

General Dynamics Tallahassee Operations delivered its first SINCGARS in 1988, its 10,000th radio in October 1994, its 20,000th radio in September 1995, and its 30,000th radio in July 1996.

General Dynamics became a source for the radios after a competition in 1988, receiving a contract to produce 22,000 radios. In April 1994, General Dynamics received a follow-on production contract for 11,000 radios which represented 40 percent of the contract award. In February 1995, General Dynamics was awarded a $125 million contract for 15,219 radios and associated equipment which represented 45 percent of the total contract award. Delivery of the first SINCGARS Improvement Package radios, which began in September 1996, will be completed in September 1997. In April 1996, General Dynamics was awarded a contract in excess of $107 million to produce 11,000 SIP radios and associated equipment. Delivery of these radios begins in October 1997 and concludes in October 1998.

In addition to manufacturing SINCGARS, Land Systems’ Tallahassee Operations also houses an extensive engineering development, design, and manufacturing work force that is capable of armed services and meeting the future communication needs of the U.S. international customers.

General Dynamics Land Systems is a world leader in the development, production, integration, vehicles and electronic systems. Its 3,400 employees operate plants and and support of armored facilities in seven states and at three international locations. More information about General Dynamics Land Systems can be found on the Internet at http://www.gdls.com

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LS-97-3
3/10/97