L-3 Communications (www.L-3com.com) announced that it has been granted a contract to upgrade the Machinery Control System (“MCS”) on Military Sealift Command’s (“MSC”) T-AOE Fast Combat Support Ships. The $40-million contract includes designing, testing and manufacturing of the new equipment for one T-AOE Fast Combat Support Ship, with options for other ships of the class.

Moreover, L-3 is designated as the turn-key provider for the spares, commissioning, installation, integration, testing, building, and designing for the cargo control system and new machinery of the ship.

“This is an exciting win for L-3 as it exemplifies the broad capability of the Marine & Power Systems Group to provide low-risk, complete solutions for our customers,” said Steve Kantor, L-3 Marine & Power Systems (www.L-3com.com/MPS) Group’s president. “We are extremely pleased to be selected and are committed to providing MSC with a modern, open architecture, state-of-the-art control system solution that allows optimal manning, efficiency, safety, and is supportable for the life of the ship.”

The L-3’s Machinery Control System will offer remote automation, control and monitoring of the ship’s auxiliary, cargo handling, electrical and propulsion systems. The MCS uses commercial Programmable Logic Controller (“PLC”) technology combined with L-3 proven control system software.

L-3’s NCS will provide software certification, maintenance and development, systems integration and systems engineering, machinery simulations, Programmable Logic Controller programming, and damage control automation.

The system’s four T-AOE fast combat support ships offer a vital service to the US Navy providing underway replenishment of food, ammunition, fuel and other cargo. The T-AOE 6 Class is a 754-foot long and 48,500-ton ship, which is able to simultaneously transfer ammunition, fuel, cargoes, and stores to ship in a carrier group, reducing vulnerability of other serviced ships by reducing at-sea alongside time.