Sperry Awarded $51-Million Contract By U.S. Navy For Spanish Combat Systems

The Sperry Division of Sperry Corporation has received a $51.1- million contract to implement the first phase of the combat system development and integration for three Spanish Navy guided-missile frigates and one aircraft carrier.

The contract was awarded to Sperry by the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command, and is part of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

Under the terms of the contract, Sperry will design, construct and operate a Spanish Navy Test and Integration facility at its current plant site in Ronkonkoma, N.Y.; design the combat systems, integrate the equipment and test the systems for each of the three frigates and the carrier; and provide training, as well as management and technical support.

The new Spanish Navy frigates are modified versions of the U.S.

Navy's FFG-7 class guided-missile frigates. Sperry currently is the combat systems integrator for the U.S. Navy FFG-7 class ships. The Spanish frigates will continue to use the Sperry-developed MK 92 Mod 2 fire control system for weapons control.

The 14,300-ton Spanish aircraft carrier is being developed from a U.S. Navy carrier design designated the Sea Control Ship. The carrier will be equipped with a number of different aircraft, including the SH-3H helicopter, SH- 60 LAMPS Mk III helicopter, and the AV-8 Harrier vertical take-off and landing (V/STOL) aircraft.

The carrier design includes a "ski jump" launch deck.

The new ships will all have Naval Tactical Data System capabilities to allow fully integrated fleet defense operations with NATO nations.

The three frigates and the aircraft carrier will be built by Empresa Nacional Bazan de Construcciones Navales Militares S.A.

in El Ferrol, Spain, located in the northwest section of the country.

The Spanish Navy Test and Integration facility in Ronkonkoma, N.Y., is already under construction.

When completed, a detachment of about 15 Spanish Navy personnel will be assigned to the facility for training in computer program maintenance. Additional Spanish Navy and industrial personnel may be brought to the center for other training during the contract.

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