Arlington, Virginia -- BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman today announced additional members to their GCV team in their bid for the U.S. Army's Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) competition.

BAE Systems-Northrop Grumman GCV teammates include:

• QinetiQ North America

• Saft

"We have built a team that has extensive experience and innovation in the development and production of combat systems and subsystems," said Mark Signorelli, vice president and general manager of Ground Combat Vehicles at BAE Systems. "With this team we bring more to our customer by providing a vehicle that will meet the Army's requirements for a highly survivable platform that can adapt to a constantly evolving and changing operational environment; from humanitarian relief to a full scale battlefield."

Each teammate will bring a different capability to GCV that will help to strengthen the BAE Systems-Northrop Grumman team offering. As the prime contractor, BAE Systems will provide the overall program management and systems integration for GCV and will also be responsible for providing the vehicle design, structure, logistical support as well as the readiness and sustainment of the platform. Northrop Grumman will serve as the C4ISR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) lead.

QinetiQ North America will provide the electric drive propulsion system or E-X-Drive(tm) for Ground Combat Vehicles. The E-X-Drive is the key component of the hybrid electric drive system, which minimizes electrical demand, saves on vehicle fuel costs, improves reliability, provides higher dash speed and acceleration and increased on-board and off-board power. Saft will provide the energy storage system for the GCV.

The BAE Systems-Northrop Grumman GCV offering will be the first combat vehicle designed from the ground-up to operate in an IED-threat environment. The team's offering will provide survivability, mobility and versatility that will address the operational requirements of the customer. The GCV mine survivability will exceed that of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, while the enhanced mobility capabilities will allow the GCV to operate in urban and cross country environments. The team's vehicle will also have an integrated electronic network capability and embedded intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets to connect the warfighters. The open architecture electronics will also be adaptable to future network upgrades as new technologies mature. The modular armor system will allow the unit commander to rapidly apply or remove kits in the field to adjust to the tactical situation.

BAE Systems is the top producer of combat vehicles in the world and provides nearly 80 percent of the vehicles in the Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT).

The GCV program is a development effort headed by the U.S. Army to develop the first combat vehicle designed from the ground up to operate in an IED-threat environment.

BAE Systems PLC
27.07.2010