The U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command has awarded General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems a $43 million contract modification to continue producing advanced mission computers for new and currently operational F-18 aircraft. The F-18 advanced mission computer (AMC) is a ruggedized, high-performance/high-reliability mission and display-processing system. This multi-functional processing system is built upon a Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS), open systems architecture and is configurable to any operating environment. It performs general purpose, input/output, video, voice and graphics processing and is designed to operate reliably in the extreme environmental conditions of today’s high-performance fighter aircraft.

Work under this contract includes the production of AMC Type 3 variants for the F/A-18E, F/A-18F, and EA-18G model aircraft. The AMC Type 3 is the latest of three generations of processors developed by General Dynamics for the F-18. It utilizes the most current PowerPC-based open systems processor for twice the processing power of previous configurations. AMC Type 3 also incorporates image processing system modules manufactured by Honeywell that provide commonality for various aircraft display requirements.

Work under this contract modification will be performed in Bloomington, Minn. Deliveries will begin in January 2009 and are expected to be completed by December 2009.

This award modifies a contract originally awarded in May 2007. Including this modification, the cumulative value of the contract is $94.7 million. The award includes optional quantities of computers worth up to an additional $9.2 million.