Gichner Shelter Systems, a Kratos company, today announced that it has received a $2.85m order for three additional electronic modular enclosures (EMEs) from Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems.

Gichner is currently under contract to Wenzlau Engineering to deliver 32 EMEs to Raytheon in support of the production of the first two DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers. The three additional EMEs are being produced on a direct contract to Raytheon in support of the US Navy Self Defense Test Ship program. The new order increases the total number of EMEs that will be produced and delivered from the Dallastown facility to 35.

The EMEs provide isolation for shock, vibration, and electromagnetic interference in addition to supplying power, cooling, and security for Zumwalt commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS)-based mission system equipment. The EMEs are a lower cost approach in shipbuilding that enables over 200 individual COTS electronics cabinets to be fully integrated and tested as sub-systems before being delivered as standalone EMEs to the shipyard. This approach provides substantial savings in electronics packaging, shipbuilding, and shipboard integration and reduces shipyard production cycle times.

Under the US Navy’s DDG 1000 detail design and integration contract awarded in 2005, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems serves as the prime mission systems equipment integrator for all of the leading-edge electronic and combat systems for the Zumwalt-class destroyer program.

Commenting on Gichner’s role in the DDG 1000 program, Gichner’s President Thomas Mills said, “I am proud of Gichner’s partnership with Raytheon on this critical program that is radically changing the nature of naval ship design. The DDG program has provided Gichner an opportunity to continue to strengthen our great working relationship with Raytheon, and I am proud of Gichner’s ability to ensure mission and delivery requirements.”

The DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyer is America’s next generation, multi-mission, naval destroyer. Zumwalt’s advanced mission capabilities give the ship unprecedented versatility in a variety of operational environments and dramatically reduce manning requirements. The open architecture design enables commonality across the US Navy’s entire family of ships, which will pay dividends for years to come.

Gichner Systems Group, the most recent addition to the Weapons Systems Solutions Division of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, is a leading designer, engineering, manufacturer and integrator of tactical and other shelters, products, solutions, modular containers, subsystems and support equipment for the US military, its allies, and leading defense prime contractors.

Gichner products protect military personnel as well as electronic and other systems from the environment during transport and operation in some of the world’s harshest environments. Gichner provides turnkey systems that are ‘rack ready’ for the installation of its customers’ electronic systems and service, maintenance, reset and repair of existing shelter and containerized systems.