Cubic Wins Major Multi-Year Contract to Provide
Homestation Training Systems for U.S. Army
I-HITS contract has ceiling value of $71.7 million
SAN DIEGO,
Calif., April 7, 2005 – The
defense segment of Cubic Corporation (AMEX: CUB) has received
a five-year
contract to produce and field Initial -Homestation Instrumentation
Training Systems (I-HITS) for U.S. Army, Army Reserve and
National Guard sites. The initial award from the U.S. Army
Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation
(PEO-STRI) totals $4.5 million and if all options are exercised
the estimated value of the contract is $71.7 million.
I-HITS
is a highly mobile system that offers an instrumented training
capability similar to the Army’s
Combat Training Centers (CTCs). Packaged in transit cases,
the system provides
cost-effective homestation training and can be rapidly deployed
to any training area worldwide for force-on-force, force-on-target,
service, joint and combined training.
“I-HITS will significantly expand the Army’s
ability to provide the critical information for training ‘lessons
learned,’ which has proven to be a key element in U.S.
combat readiness and troop survival,” said Gerald Dinkel,
President and CEO of Cubic Defense Applications.
“This is the second time in four months Cubic has
received a major competitive live training contract from
the U.S. Army. More than two-thirds of our total defense
business is dedicated to training U.S. and allied forces
to accomplish their mission successfully with minimum casualties.
It is a responsibility we take seriously,” Dinkel said.
I-HITS is based upon modular components, providing flexibility
to expand collective training activities. It is scalable
for all levels of training, from platoon to battalion task
force exercises, and is also ideal for urban warfare training.
The system provides exercise control, battle tracking, data
collection and streamlined After-Action Reviews (AARs) for
live training events. Additionally, I-HITS interfaces with
current virtual and constructive simulations.
“We are very honored that the U.S. Army has selected
Cubic’s I-HITS solution as the system of choice for
homestation and deployment training,” said Ray Barker,
senior vice president of Cubic’s Training Systems Business
Unit. “I-HITS will provide our soldiers with the best
training experience possible – anywhere they are deployed – and
ultimately assist in saving lives.”
I-HITS comes packaged with player instrumentation, GPS player
units and portable communications systems that are fully
integrated with a software-based exercise control system.
These technologies track the positions and casualty status
of troops and vehicles in real time and relay exercise data
to command centers for post-mission analysis and AAR presentations.
With I-HITS, the AARs can be conducted in tents, Humvees,
trucks or shelters at training or operational sites.
I-HITS also includes interfaces with C4ISR systems, including
Force XXI Battle Command, Brigade-and-Below (FBCB2) and also
easily accommodates future and emerging weapon and communication
systems.
The system
leverages Cubic’s combat training and communications
technologies developed for the Alaska Training Range Evolution
Plan (ATREP) program, which will provide a joint Army and
Air Force training capability on the Yukon Training Range.
It also incorporates capabilities that Cubic has provided
for world’s largest and most advanced CTCs, including
the U.S. Army’s Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC),
the British Army’s Area Weapons Effects Simulator (AWES)
and similar instrumented systems being installed in Canada,
Australia and other nations.
The Cubic Defense Applications group, one of Cubic's two
major segments, is a world leader in realistic combat training
systems, mission support services and defense electronics.
The corporation's other major segment, Cubic Transportation
Systems, designs and manufactures automatic fare collection
systems for public mass transit authorities. For more information
about Cubic, see the company's website at www.cubic.com.