TAMPA, Fla., 27 Nov. 2006.Fortress Technologies, a provider of secure wireless networking, has been awarded a contract by General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, to implement secure wireless communicationson the next-generation replenishment ships under the U.S. Navy's Dry Cargo/Ammunition Ship (T-AKE) program.
This contract serves as one of the first major wireless awards since the Navy lifted its ban on wireless networking.
General Dynamics NASSCO is under contract to the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to build eight T-AKE class ships. Each T-AKE ship is 689 feet long and has a capacity for 6,700 metric tons of dry cargo weight and approximately 2,400 metric tons of fuel.
These ships are designed to provide ammunition, food, fuel, repair parts, and other necessities to ships at sea. The ships will contribute to the Navy's ability to maintain a forward presence. The lead ship, USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE 1) was delivered to the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command last June.
The T-AKE ships will be equipped with a first-of-its-kind, commercially-based warehouse management system, known as the Shipboard Warehouse Management System (SWMS), provided by HK Systems of New Berlin, Wis.
"The ability to track and manage cargo efficiently is a major concentration for the T-AKE program -- SWMS is a key part of the overall solution," says John Dow, VP of marketing and business development for Fortress. "NAVSEA needed to modify SWMS to meet new wireless security requirements. They required a solution that would not only allow the tracking of information securely, but also permit the transmission of data wirelessly while at sea or in port. Fortress provided NAVSEA the most comprehensive solution and has begun the implementation process."
Fortress is providing its Security Gateways and Secure Clients to enable a secure wireless link between SWMS and its end users. These solutions maintain Defense Information Systems Agency's (DISA) Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) and National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) FIPS 140-2 certifications.
The T-AKE program is one of numerous Navy projects in which Fortress is involved, including flight line maintenance and ship-to-shore implementations.
