The UK Ministry of Defence’s UKP1,000m Bowman contract for a battlefield communications system has reached project definition level, PD1. The two remaining bidders have each netted UKP25m demonstration contracts over three years, with the UKP1,000m deal to be awarded in 1997. Following the rejection of the joint bid between GEC Plc and French-based Thomson-CSF SA, the demonstration contracts were awarded to the Yeoman team, formed by Siemens Plessey Ltd and Racal Electronics Plc, and a team led by US-based ITT Corp. The two teams will be bidding to replace the existing Clansman radio system, which was developed by Plessey and Racal. Development costs will be met by both industry and the Ministry, which cites export sales as a major attraction to the contract. The Ministry has laid down criteria including the upgradability of the radio system, and each team will incorporate technology used in previous systems. ITT’s technology will be partially based on its US Sincgars radio system, with a selection of UK-based companies pitching in. British Aerospace’s BAeSema Ltd will provide the management information system, Raytheon Co’s UK-based firm Cosser Ltd will handle user data access, Hunting Engineering Ltd will provide vehicle platform integration and Northern Telecom Ltd’s STC Plc subsidiary will take care of communications security. The Yeoman team’s effort will include project management from Siemens, with communications management technology Plessey used in the Australian Raven system. Racal will provide the Very High Frequency and High Frequency subsystems. Siemens criticised ITT’s American roots, saying that it would be a very serious consideration for the British technology platform if a British company lost the contract. Peter Bedwin, managing director of ITT Defence Ltd, hit back. We think that our technology bought in from the US coupled with the UK technology will be far superior to the Siemens solution, he said. We’re opening a street for UK companies to bring technology into the US with us,
