EADS N.V. - New kind of planning system of EADS enhances mission capabilities of the German Tiger combat helicopter

The new planning system developed by EADS for the Tiger combat helicopter of the German Armed Forces combines for the first time operational command and control with technical logistic support of a weapon system. This means the system increases operational efficiency and enhances the deployment capabilities of the helicopters at the same time. As the company announced on Tuesday, the Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement (BWB) has awarded EADS Defence Electronics a contract worth € 10 m.

With the Operations Support System (OSS), the German Armed Forces will be in a position to guarantee up-to-date command and control capability as well as a status check both for the tactical operational deployment of the Tiger and in the technical logistic area at all times. This includes mission planning, briefing, debriefing and logistic workflow components.

The Operations Support System ensures that pilots and maintenance staff have much more operational flexibility and as a result guarantees more safety for both man and machine. This means that the German Armed Forces now have a system for obtaining an up-to-date status report on their Tiger helicopters at all times and for giving pilots support during operations at the same time.

“The results we have from the soldiers dealing with the prototype of the Operations Support System are extremely promising”, said Bernhard Gerwert, Head of EADS Defence Electronics. “This positive experience makes us feel confident that the system can in future also be used for other flying platforms.”

As an integral part of network-centric operations, the OSS makes it possible to connect the helicopter with its own command and control structures (C3I) via voice radio and data links.

Furthermore, the OSS can also establish a connection with other information systems, such as specialist information systems for weather, maps, aeronautical information and air-traffic monitoring, offering the pilot additional valuable, up-to-date information.

The Business Unit Defence Electronics is an integrated part of the EADS Defence & Security Systems Division (DS). EADS Defence & Security Systems, with revenues of about € 5.4 billion in 2004 and roughly 23,000 employees across ten nations, forms the defence and security pillar within EADS. It offers integrated systems solutions to the new challenges confronting armed forces and homeland security units. It is active in the areas of military aircraft, missile systems, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems with manned and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), battlefield management systems, defence electronics, sensors and avionics, and related services.

EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2004, EADS generated revenues of € 31.8 billion and employed a workforce of about 110,000.