PITTSFIELD, Mass., June 10 MA-Gen-Dynamics-Navy
PITTSFIELD, Mass., June 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Navy Strategic Systems
Programs and General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems yesterday
celebrated the formal activation of the new Shipboard Electronics Repair
Facility in Pittsfield. The repair facility is housed in a newly renovated
wing in the northeast corner of the Ordnance Plant 1 building on Plastics
Avenue and comprises about 11,000 square feet. It features various
workstations and test stations, and employs about 16 repair personnel in
addition to more than 24 development engineers. The current repair work is
being accomplished under a Navy contract awarded in September 2007 valued at
approximately $5.2 million annually.
The Navy Strategic Systems Programs has maintained a long-standing
relationship with General Dynamics in Pittsfield for the repair of submarine
fire control and guidance system equipment. General Dynamics has supported
the fleet for more than 50 years, and in the past 10 years has significantly
reduced the amount of time it takes to repair equipment and return it to the
fleet.
In 2005, the Navy Strategic Systems Programs decided to consolidate
electronic module repairs for submarine fire control, guidance and navigation
systems into a single repair facility at General Dynamics in Pittsfield.
Test and repair operations transitioned to General Dynamics in Pittsfield
starting in 2005. In May 2007, General Dynamics and the Navy's Strategic
Systems Programs began renovating the northeast wing of Ordnance Plant 1 to
consolidate all test and repair operations into one new state-of-the-art
electronic repair facility.
The first assemblies were tested and repaired in the new facility in
February 2008. Test equipment and personnel have gradually transitioned into
the new facility to avoid interruption of ongoing repair operations currently
supporting the naval fleet.
"We are proud to contribute to the protection of our nation by providing
the U.S. Navy with this repair facility, in addition to the guidance system
repair work that is already being done at our building on Merrill Road," said
Mike Tweed-Kent, vice president and general manager of integrated combat
systems for General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems. "In addition to
the cost savings that we are providing to the Navy by reducing repair cycle
time, we are also benefiting the Pittsfield community by using local
businesses to improve our facility."
General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, a business unit of General
Dynamics (NYSE: GD), designs, develops, manufactures, integrates, operates and
maintains mission systems for defense, space, intelligence, surveillance,
reconnaissance, homeland security and homeland defense customers.
Headquartered in Fairfax, Va., the company specializes in ground systems,
imagery processing, mission payloads, space vehicles; maritime subsurface,
surface and airborne mission systems; and tasking, collection, processing,
exploitation, and dissemination programs for national intelligence. More
information is available on the Internet at http://www.gd-ais.com.
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 can be found online at http://www.generaldynamics.com.
SOURCE General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems
