US ARMY SELECTS BAE SYSTEMS' VEHICLE INTERCOM SYSTEM

Light Vehicle Variant (LV2) of the BAE Systems ROVIS vehicle intercom system has been selected by the US Army Communications and Electronics Command for use on armoured HMMWVs.

BAE Systems' US partner company - Northrop Grumman Electronic Sensors and Systems Sector (who supply ROVIS type-classified as AN/VIC3 to the US Army) - has entered into a five-year option supply agreement with USACECOM and received an initial contract award for some 600 systems.

LV2 is a downsized variant of the highly successful ROVIS system, with reduced built-in test and radio programming but retaining its interoperability and expandability using existing ROVIS units, cabling and headsets.

An LV2 system comprises two units, the Dual Full Function Crew Station (FFCS/L) and the Master Control Station (MCS/L). In light vehicles, a two-crew two-radio installation is accommodated using one FFCS/L and one MCS/L.

Nick Heyes, BAE Systems business manager, said: "The US Army's selection of LV2 comes as a direct result of our long established relationship with both Northrop Grumman and US Army CECOM since ROVIS was adopted by the US Army in 1993. Since then, we have successfully delivered in excess of 10,000 systems to that customer. LV2 is the natural progression to supply the benefits of digital intercoms to the highly important lightweight vehicle community. They will benefit immensely from improved levels of speech intelligibility and reliability compared with those provided by current analogue systems."

The LV2 will be built at BAE Systems' facility at Blackburn in the United Kingdom. Steve Collier, team leader, said: "I'm delighted that LV2 has been adopted in the US. It is one of several new ROVIS product lines - including digital data, ethernet hubs and remote radio access -that complement and enhance the original ROVIS system, a proven product which is now in service with many demanding customers world-wide."

Notes to Editors

ROVIS represents a major advance in digital intercommunications and is the world's most widely fielded multi-station vehicle intercom system. It supports voice and data communications within military vehicles, even in extreme noise conditions.

Its comprehensive features include the capability to distribute digital data, voice-operated switching for hands-free operation, a ring architecture for resilience to battle damage, active noise reduction and built-in test facilities. It features a universal radio interface to a wide range of military radios, including the VRC12, SINCGARS, Jaguar, Panther, PR4G, SEM193 and Raven series.

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The Communications & Defence Infrastructure (CDI) business of BAE Systems Avionics Tactical Products supplies the full range of world-class communications systems needed to support battlespace digitization, together with innovative information infrastructure environments. Developing defence operating systems based on commercial off-the-shelf resources, CDI's success is based upon partnership with customers within integrated project teams and the development of industrial alliances with other major industry forces.

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BAE Systems, formed by the merger of British Aerospace and Marconi Electronic Systems in November 1999, is the truly global systems, defence and aerospace company. BAE Systems employs more than 100,000 people, in nine home markets around the world and has annual sales of some £12 billion. The company offers an unrivalled global capability in air, sea, land and space with a world-class prime contracting ability supported by a range of key skills. BAE Systems designs and manufactures civil and military aircraft, surface ships, submarines, space systems, radar, avionics, communications, electronics, guided weapon systems and a range of other defence products.