General Dynamics Robotic Systems Awarded Navy LCS Automation Contract

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) recently awarded General Dynamics Robotic Systems a contract to develop the Common Launch and Recovery System (CLRS) for use on the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). General Dynamics Robotic Systems is a part of General Dynamics Land Systems (Sterling Heights, Michigan), a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics. General Dynamics will use robotics and automation technologies to develop a method for launching and recovering unmanned maritime systems, such as unmanned boats and other watercraft, from the LCS. "This contract allows the Navy to leverage our naval robotic and automation capabilities as well as our extensive experience in unmanned systems development to provide value-added, reliable products that support their mission profiles." said Phil Cory, vice president, General Dynamics Robotic Systems. "Our recent work designing and building the 11-meter "Fleet" class unmanned surface vehicle for the LCS Anti-Submarine Warfare mission package will prove invaluable on this project as we continue to partner with the ONR and the Navy". General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 84,000 people worldwide and reported 2007 revenues of $27.2 billion. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies.