JULY 16--FLIR Systems Inc. (Portland, OR; www.flir.com) has been tentatively selected by Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp., working together as a joint venture called the Integrated Coast Guard Systems (ICGS) team, to provide thermal imaging systems as part of the US Coast Guard's "Deepwater Project." The formal award of this program to the ICGS team was announced by the Department of Transportation on Tuesday, June 25, 2002.
The Deepwater Project is a 40-year, multibillion-dollar program to renovate, modernize, and, in some cases, replace the US Coast Guard's fleet of 93 ships and 206 aircraft that patrol US territorial waters and involves the development and deployment of an integrated system of surface and air command and control communications incorporating computers, surveillance, reconnaissance, and logistics systems, including at least one thermal imaging system on each of the vessels and aircraft in addition to those utilized at several ground command and control facilities. FLIR's participation in the Deepwater Project is subject to the successful completion of contract negotiations with Lockheed Martin.
Said Earl Lewis, president and CEO of FLIR Systems, "The Deepwater Project is the most ambitious procurement program in Coast Guard history. It may become the largest program in FLIR Systems' history as well, upon the successful conclusion of contract negotiations to provide our thermal imaging systems."
