The UK Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) has awarded £700,000 ($1.1 million), nine-month study contracts to teams led by BAE Systems and Logica to consider the network centric requirement of the Future Offensive Air System (FOAS).
The studies are intended to lay the foundation for the FOAS command, control, communications, computing and intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (C4ISTAR) architecture, says DPA. FOAS should replace the Panavia Tornado GR4 from around 2018 and is likely to combine manned and unmanned aircraft and cruise missiles.
Logica has teamed with UK research company Qinetiq and Raytheon. The former will provide "future research activities", while the US company has wide experience of manned and unmanned C4ISTARair systems and ground stations.
BAE's team consists of Aerosystems International, AMS, Apama, Astrium, EDS Defence, Lockheed Martin, MBDA, Northrop Grumman IT Europe, Roke Manor, the Royal Military College of Science, and Systems Consultants Services.
Source: Flight International
