ITT Exelis has been awarded a $6.1 million modification to a U.S. Air Force contract to insert a modern data storage and memory technology into the Strategic Automated Command  Control System (SACCS).

The SACCS provides orders and pass codes authentication for Air Force nuclear weapons platforms, bombers, and support units. Inserting a modern data storage system by Exelis into this legacy command and control system will dramatically improve retrieval and verification of critical data for decision-makers.

“Exelis has a long-standing relationship in its original development and current sustainment role with the Air Force on the SACCS,” said Nick Bobay, President and General Manager of Exelis Night Vision and Tactical Communications Systems.

“This award is another vote of confidence from a valued customer that we believe positions Exelis well for supporting the continuing life-extension projects and upgrades to the system,” he added.

Exelis expects to complete the task, which will take the process through critical design review, within a nine-month period of performance with work which began in April. Exelis also provides modernized crypto and ongoing technical support services for the SACCS on contracts previously awarded by the Air Force.

Meanwhile, ITT Exelis has been also selected by Raytheon UK and the Canadian Department of National Defence to provide anti-jam GPS antenna arrays for several Canadian airborne military platforms.

The N79 Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna (CRPA), which will be used on fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, prevents deliberate jamming and unintentional interference of timing signals when integrated with anti-jam GPS systems such as the Raytheon Navshield system.

“Constant GPS reception is extremely important to our fighting forces and those of our allies. The N79 anti-jam antenna will help ensure GPS availability to our service members at the most critical times,” said Paul Eyring, Senior Director of Programs for Antennas, Sensors and Microelectronics for Exelis Electronic Systems.
“By mitigating electronic interference with GPS signals, the Exelis CRPA helps ensure that aircrews receive the accurate navigation data they need to complete their mission,” he added.

The seven-element antenna enables warfighters to maintain accurate timing and to navigate closer to their targets in the presence of up to six interference sources. Exelis has been producing the anti-jam GPS antenna in its integrated design and production facility in Bohemia, New York, since 2005.