Miltope boosts rugged computer sales

The U.S. Army is buying 500 rugged computers from Miltope Corp. of Montgomery, Ala., under the Soldiers` Portable On-System Tool (SPORT) contract. SPORT has two components: the controller/diagnostic aid - a laptop computer with instrumentation capability - and the instrumentation expansion chassis - an enhancement that allows use of sophisticated instrumentation cards. Army leaders awarded the SPORT contract to Miltope last June, but a protest held the program up until September when the U.S. General Accounting Office upheld the Miltope award. - J.K.