Strategic Communications awarded a contract to Curtiss-Wright to provide the Curtiss-Wright Cisco IOS-based Parvus DuraMAR 5915 router and Parvus DuraNET 30-2020 switch subsystems for the AAVC-7 vetronics upgrade.
On the AAVC-7 project, Strategic Communications is under subcontract to Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) in McLean, Va., which in turn is under contract to the U.S. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) in San Diego.
The Marine Corps amphibious assault vehicle has several variants. The AAVC-7A1 command version for which Curtiss-Wright is providing vetronics networking gear, does not have a turret; communications equipment takes up much of the vehicle's cargo space.
This version only has two crew radios, and in addition to the VIC-2, it also carries two VRC-92s, a VRC-89, a PRC-103 UHF radio, a MRC-83 HF radio and the MSQ internetworking system to control the various radios. This amphibious assault vehicle version has a crew of three, and additionally carries five radio operators, three staff members, and two commanding officers.
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The Curtiss-Wright Parvus DuraMAR 5915 is a MIL-STD rugged Cisco 5915 mobile IP router subsystem with integrated Gigabit Ethernet switch. It integrates Cisco’s 5915 embedded services router (ESR) card in a rugged chassis designed for harsh military and civil vehicle and aircraft installations.
Curtiss-Wright Parvus DuraNET 30-2020 is a rugged 19-port Cisco IOS-managed Layer 2+ network switch subsystem with Cisco’s ESS 2020 embedded services switch technology with an isolated MIL-STD-1275/704 power supply in an IP67 sealed aluminum chassis with MIL-DTL-38999 connectors.
Designed for vetronics, avionics, mining, and industrial applications, the unit provides local area network (LAN) switching for data, security, voice, and video traffic at the network edge for stationary or mobile network nodes.
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These Curtiss-Wright space, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C)-optimized line replaceable units (LRUs) provide network connectivity for the tactical communications equipment used onboard the AAVC-7 vehicles. Shipments began in October 2014 and were concluded at the end of that year, Curtiss-Wright officials say. Curtiss-Wright's Parvus networking systems also are deployed on a previous generation of the Marine Corps amphibious assault vehicle.
Under this upgrade program, newer AAV vehicles will be outfitted with Cisco IOS-based Parvus solutions that provide security and networking features. The Curtiss-Wright products covered by the contract are listed on the DoD Unified Capabilities Approved Product List (APL) and validated for DoD agency worldwide use for information assurance and interoperability.
Curtiss-Wright built the products covered by this agreement at its facilities in Salt Lake City. The products were shipped to the SPAWAR facility in Hanahan, S.C.
For more information contact Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions online at www.cwcdefense.com, Strategic Communications at http://yourstrategic.com, or SPAWAR at www.spawar.navy.mil.
