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Army Puts Commercial Navigation System to the Test

26 November 1997

Army Puts Commercial Navigation System to the Test

        Philips Car Systems' Carin Guides U.S. Army Tactical Vehicles

    ATLANTA, Nov. 26 -- The United States Army Space and Missile
Defense Command for the first time is testing a commercial, off-the-shelf
(COTS) car navigation system in U.S. Army Tactical vehicles.  As a part of its
Army Space Exploration Program, the Space and Missile Defense Battle Lab will
use the multiple sensors and map technology of Philips Car Systems' "Carin"
unit to provide continuous, accurate navigation through extended periods of
GPS outages.
    While the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites provide troop
location information to the U.S. Army with pinpoint accuracy, electronic
interference and jamming tactics can cause extended periods of signal
interruption.  The implications are serious, especially for troops located in
the middle of a desert.
    "The Army needed a system that provides its own mapping and directional
capabilities, one that does not rely solely on the GPS system," said Gary
Tuttle, director of Engineering for Tec-Masters, Inc., Carin's distributor to
the U.S. Government.  "Carin has its own computer and internal system, and it
can pinpoint location without relying on satellites.  And, it is readily
available as an aftermarket product."
    The Army will also employ Navigation Technologies' map database, the same
source for Carin's digital mapping, to assist in tailoring digital map
databases for military use.
    "The phenomenal growth of the commercial turn-by-turn navigation business
has created a huge archive of digital maps for the U.S., Europe and Asia,"
said Mark Stephenson, vice president of marketing for Philips Car Systems.
"The Army will work with these companies to supplement the Department of
Defense Mapping database with this growing commercial database."
    Another feature that attracted the Army is Carin's capabilities in fleet
tracking.  Philips Car Systems, in cooperation with Tec-Masters, Inc., has
developed commercial fleet management applications that expand Carin's
capability to include a flexible communication link.  This link uses Carin's
navigation computer to transmit location and other vehicle data via a variety
of communication systems including army tactical radios and wireless
communication systems.  With this, the Army can monitor locations on a
battlefield at all times.  Carin plots the information electronically and
reports back to a headquarter base without involving the soldier.
    The Carin test is an example of the U.S. Government's efforts to seek
available commercial technology from private industry.  "The Army realized
that the commercial guidance and control industry has caught up with their
expertise, making this technology inexpensive and available off the shelf,"
Tuttle said.  "Carin has all the technology already available to fit their
needs without requiring high research and development costs."
    Tec-Masters, Inc. is a U.S. Department of Defense engineering, research
and development company and a recognized expert in the area of guidance and
control, software verification and validation and information technology.
Headquartered in Huntsville, Ala., Tec-Masters, Inc. has locations in Atlanta,
Ga., Shalimar, Fla., Montgomery, Ala., Agoura Hills, Calif., Lawton, Okla.,
Sunnyvale, Calif. and Washington, D.C.  TMI is the prime contractor for the
Theatre High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system and the U.S. Army
Research Development and Engineering Center (RDEC) Guidance and Control
Directorate.
    Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is among the world's
largest suppliers of electronic systems and products to the automotive
industry.  Its global automotive capabilities include vehicle navigation, car
audio systems and components, electronic and mechanical systems and
components, semiconductors, lamps, road lighting and traffic control.  Quoted
on the NYSE, London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and other stock exchanges, it is
also a world leader in lighting, color television sets, electric shavers and
recorded music (PolyGram).
    Philips Car Systems has global headquarters in Wetzlar, Germany, and has
U.S. offices in Farmington Hills, Mich., Cheshire, Conn., and Atlanta, Ga.  As
a unit of Philips Electronics N.V., Philips Car Systems has access to the
resources of one of the world's largest digital technology corporations with
262,500 employees in more than 60 countries and worldwide sales of
approximately $41 billion in 1996.

SOURCE  Philips Car Systems