fST. LOUIS, 13 Feb. 2008. The Boeing Company has been awarded a $4 million U.S. Navy contract to provide a ship-wide communications network for two guided missile destroyers (DDG) now under construction.

The contract, awarded by the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, Va., calls for Boeing to supply the Gigabit Ethernet Data Multiplex System (GEDMS) information transfer system for the DDG 111 and 112 destroyers. Boeing will deliver electronic components over the next 12 months to support shipbuilding schedules.

Under a contract awarded in 2007, Boeing continues to support the installation and checkout of the Fiber Optic Data Multiplex System (FODMS) for DDG 110.

"With more than 30 years of experience developing the Data Multiplex Systems family of networks, Boeing provides extensive expertise to meet the Navy's requirements for modernizing the nation's fleet of destroyers and amphibious assault ships," said Jay Nieto, Boeing GEDMS program manager. "As the Navy's design agent for information transfer hardware and software, this contract further demonstrates Boeing's ability to provide the warfighter with the very best networking technology available."

The FODMS/GEDMS network is a complete information transfer system that enhances reliability, maintainability and survivability by managing data from the ship's navigation, steering control, damage control, machinery control, combat and internal communications systems.

Currently, DMS/FODMS is installed on 45 percent of naval surface combatants. With the addition of GEDMS, shipboard networking will be available on 54 percent of naval surface combatants. DMS provides 24 megabits of bandwidth, compared to 100 megabits for FODMS and one gigabit for GEDMS.

Boeing's C3 Networks division will manage the contract and perform work in Anaheim and Huntington Beach, Calif.