SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – General Dynamics C4 Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded a $6.5 million contract option to produce Engineering Design Models of the Advanced Cryptographic Module (ACM) for the U.S. Army’s Programmable Objective Encryption Technologies (POET) program, following a recent successful Critical Design Review. This option modifies a contract initially awarded in August 2006 and brings the total contract value to $11.5 million.

With the critical design review phase completed, the program is on schedule to deliver the embedded communications capability.

The POET program is aligned with the National Security Agency’s Cryptographic Modernization Initiative, and will enable high data-rate, multi-level security for voice, video, data and imagery from a variety of military equipment and networks including U.S. Navy multi-band terminals, U.S. Air Force advanced broadband terminals and U.S. Army High Capacity Communications Capability terminals. The Engineering Design Models are used to demonstrate a subset of cryptographic functions and features.

“The POET ACM is an embedded security device that meets the speed variant demands and size, weight and power requirements needed to secure very large amounts of information moving across widely distributed battlespace networks,” says John Cole, vice president of Information Assurance at General Dynamics C4 Systems. “Much of what we’ve learned in 40 years of fielding Type 1 secure chips, modules and communications has gone into developing this new generation of core encryption devices for the military and government agencies.”

General Dynamics C4 Systems is a leading integrator of secure communication and information systems and technology. With more than 10,000 employees worldwide, the company specializes in command and control, communications networking, computing and information assurance for defense, government and select commercial customers in the United States and abroad.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 84,000 people worldwide and reported 2007 revenues of $27.2 billion. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about the company is available online at www.generaldynamics.com.
 

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