Integrated Coast Guard Systems, LLC (ICGS) today has issued a Broad Industry Announcement seeking innovations in Radio Direction Finding (RDF) sensors to support the Integrated Deepwater System program. Suppliers with marinized RDF technologies and product capabilities are needed to support development of the U.S. Coast Guard's Deepwater surface assets.

ICGS is issuing this Broad Industry Announcement to all potential Radio Direction Finding sensor suppliers, including those suppliers which have been previously interviewed at Deepwater Innovation & Industry Days. Small businesses of all classes are urged to participate.

"Deepwater is a national program with suppliers from more than forty states and several overseas countries," said Dr. Leo Mackay, ICGS president. "We are always in search of new vendors who will bring innovation and broad expertise to this vital program and to the Coast Guard."

ICGS is seeking information from industry to develop a marinized RDF solution which will be integrated into Deepwater surface assets. The RDF must be capable of acquiring signals in the HF/VHF Bands and portions of the upper MF/lower UHF Bands. The RDF system shall be able to resolve the transmitting source's bearing without significant error. The performance of the RDF should neither be greatly affected by the multi-path environment created by a ship's topside design nor the environment created by the other sensors in the area. It is necessary that the system is provided in a compact form factor so that it can be incorporated into multiple assets' topside configurations.

Through its open business model ICGS has and will continuously review new products, services and capabilities with the goal of providing the Coast Guard best-of-market solutions that bring innovative capabilities to the fleet at a best value cost to the taxpayer. Through its major subcontractors, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, ICGS engages suppliers that offer products and services to accomplish that goal.

Response to this announcement and registration on the ICGS website (link below) will be used to identify potential suppliers for an invitation to an Innovation & Industry Day conference hosted by ICGS, now planned for March 30, 2006.

The deadline to register for RDF Innovation & Industry Day 2006 will be 5:00 p.m. EST on March 15, 2006.

More detailed information and a supplier registration form are available online at: http://www.teamdeepwater.com/.

About Integrated Deepwater System

IDS is a critical multiyear, multibillion dollar program to modernize and replace the Coast Guard's aging ships and aircraft and improve systems for logistics and command and control. It is the largest recapitalization effort in the history of the Coast Guard. When complete, the interoperable IDS system will include three classes of new cutters and their associated small boats, a new fixed-wing manned aircraft fleet, upgraded helicopters, and both cutter-based and land-based unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). All of these

highly capable assets are linked by C4ISR systems and are supported by an efficient and progressive integrated logistics system.

About Integrated Coast Guard Systems

ICGS is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman . ICGS was awarded the Deepwater contract in June 2002. Headquartered in Rosslyn, Va., core leadership teams are located in Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.

SOURCE: Integrated Coast Guard Systems, LLC