Cubic, Ultra Electronics Deliver $46 Million ASTOR Data Link to U.K.

The deliveries fulfill the production portion of Cubic's $46million contract with Raytheon Systems Ltd., prime contractor forASTOR. The U.K. Ministry of Defence purchased a total of nine datalink systems with spares, and a 10-year service support commitment forthe hardware. The 10-year support effort begins this year.

Cubic's ASTOR Narrowband Data Link System (NDLS) provides secureand robust broadcast communications in near real-time fromsurveillance aircraft to ground stations and other military systems.Each NDLS includes both ground data terminals and air data terminals.

"In addition to being virtually unjammable, the new ASTOR platformhas a level of interoperability with the U.S. Joint SurveillanceTarget Attack Radar System (Joint STARS)," said Rick Lober, seniorvice president of the Cubic Communications and Electronics BusinessUnit. "This will make it easier for the U.S. and U.K. to conduct jointoperations because it allows the two militaries to sharemission-critical intelligence and reconnaissance information in realtime."

Lober noted that Cubic also developed the Surveillance and ControlData Link used aboard Joint STARS, which has flown in Bosnia and incontemporary combat operations.

Cubic Defense Applications, one of Cubic Corporation's two majorsegments, is a world leader in realistic combat training systems,mission support services and defense electronics. The corporation'sother major segment, Cubic Transportation Systems, designs andmanufactures automatic fare collection systems for public mass transitauthorities. For more information about Cubic, see the company's Website at www.cubic.com.