DECEMBER 21, 13:15 EST

LONDON -- Officials of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy needed dual-display sonar consoles for their Sonar 2087 Project. They found their solution from the DRS Rugged Systems Ltd. unit in Farnham, England.

DRS won a $3 million contract Dec. 21 from Thales Underwater Systems Ltd. in Templecombe, England, to install the company's OPUS 2 Multi-Function Consoles on Royal Navy Type 23 Duke-class frigates, which soon will comprise half of the Royal Navy's frigate and destroyer fleet, DRS officials say. Deliveries are to be from mid 2002 through 2004.

OPUS 2 was developed with extensive consideration for modularity, conformance to defense ergonomic standards, and versatility, DRS officials say. The functionality of this console is expected to further evolve as new technology becomes available.

The design of the OPUS 2 Multi-Function Console product line allows for fast customization for a variety of applications required for air, sea, and land systems, including sonar, communications, weapons control, and platform management. Display modules have active matrix liquid crystal displays in sizes ranging from 15 to 21 inches with display resolution as fine as 1,600 by 1,200 pixels.

Currently in the demonstration phase, Sonar 2087 is a towed active and passive antisubmarine warfare (ASW) system. Sonar 2087 replaces the obsolete Sonar 2031, and is a candidate for the ASW sensor of the Future Surface Combatant, DRS officials say.

For more information contact DRS on the World Wide Web at www.drs.com.

Military & Aerospace Electronics