The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems a $39.9 million contract for development and production as part of the Navy’s Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 1B. The contract provides for the production and delivery of SEWIP Block 1B2 systems as well as the development and delivery of two Engineering Development Models for SEWIP Block 1B3. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).

SEWIP is an evolutionary acquisition block upgrade program for the U.S. Navy’s primary surface ship electronic warfare and anti-ship missile defense system, the AN/SLQ-32 Electronic Warfare suite, which has been installed on naval combatants and auxiliaries since the late 1970s. The SEWIP Block 1B upgrades are expected to provide a vast improvement to the Surface Navy’s Anti-Ship missile defense by enhancing the detection and identification capabilities that assist sailors in defending ships from emerging threats.

“Our work on SEWIP is an example of General Dynamics leveraging its open architecture expertise and commitment to an open business model,” said Michael Tweed-Kent, vice president and general manager of integrated combat systems for General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems. “We will provide the Navy with the best industry solution and significantly improve the warfighter’s capabilities.”

Under this contract, General Dynamics will continue development of High Gain High Sensitivity (HGHS), leading to delivery of Engineering Development Models (EDM) and their integration and testing for the Block 1B3 upgrade. The contract also includes Full Rate Production (FRP) of the SEWIP Block 1B2 upgrade which deploys integrated Specific Emitter Identification (SEI), network centric and mission planning capabilities. Work under this award will be performed in Fairfax, Va.

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems designs, develops, manufactures, integrates, operates and maintains mission systems for defense, space, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, homeland security and homeland defense customers. Headquartered in Fairfax, Va., the company specializes in ground systems, imagery processing, mission payloads, and space vehicles; maritime subsurface, surface and airborne mission systems; and tasking, collection, processing, exploitation, and dissemination programs for national intelligence.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 92,900 people worldwide. 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. More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.generaldynamics.com.