Boeing Completes Delivery of Software to Support 2010 Brigade Combat Team Modernization Testing

The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] announced today that it has delivered the final software package to support the 2010 testing cycle for the Brigade Combat Team Modernization (BCTM) Increment 1 program.

"This software delivery will fully support our U.S. Army customer throughout the 2010 testing cycle, including the Limited User Test (LUT) later this year," said Paul Geery, Boeing Network and Tactical Systems vice president and BCTM program manager. "Based on results from last year's LUT and feedback from the Army regarding essential battle command capabilities, we expect to show additional capability and demonstrate overall improved system reliability and performance with this software."

The LUT is a soldier-driven independent review of maturity, readiness and functionality, developed and rated by the Army Test and Evaluation Command.

BCTM software improvements for the network include faster system start-up times, reliable continuous operating times, and system stability. The latest BCTM software package enables secure data transfer between classified and unclassified networks; electronic text chat; sensor image transfers to warfighter displays for distribution across the network; image annotation; and monitoring of network status.

Software reliability and performance also were improved by incorporating the Boeing-developed System of Systems Common Operating Environment (SOSCOE) middleware with updated capabilities for network scalability, service discovery on ad-hoc radio networks, collaboration, and systems management. Each new or improved capability undergoes a disciplined process for integration and testing before being delivered to the customer.

In addition to supporting the BCTM 2010 testing cycle, a team led by Boeing with support from Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) [NYSE: SAI] also is executing its initial production contract for the first set of BCTM Increment 1 capabilities, which will be delivered to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Armored Division for initial operational testing and evaluation in 2011.

A key element of BCTM, Increment 1 will provide soldiers with enhanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities, as well as increased survivability and lethality.

The hardware that will be produced under this contract includes:

• Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle: a robotic system capable of reconnaissance missions in dangerous or difficult situations such as entering buildings, caves and tunnels
• Class I Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV): a small, soldier-operated UAV that can hover for reconnaissance and surveillance while providing target acquisition
• Unattended Ground Sensors: multi-mode surveillance sensors for target detection, location and classification, with an imaging capability for identification
• Network Integration Kit: an integrated computer system that hosts the latest communications and radio systems and battle command software, providing the initial network connectivity needed to transfer sensor and communication data.