Germany orders Cassidian mission planners

LEIDEN, Netherlands, Dec. 19 (UPI)

The German procurement authority BAAINBw has given Cassidian a $19.7 million order for the mission planning system for Eurofighter aircraft.

The computer-based systems will be delivered to Luftwaffe bases in Laage, Norvenich, Wittmund and Neuburg but a delivery schedule wasn't disclosed.

"This mission planning system guarantees a near-real time and secure synchronization of all relevant data before and after a mission," said Rolf Wirtz, head of Mission Avionics at Cassidian. "This significantly increases the safety of the pilots and the efficiency of the operation.

"In addition, this order and its implementation within Germany will give the Luftwaffe the option of working in close cooperation with Cassidian, to express their specific needs and to contribute their ideas to the development of the system."

The mission planning system displays path and mission data on digital maps and includes civil air movements, weather data and any threats along the flight path.

Events during the mission are recorded and are then evaluated after the mission.

Cassidian, an EADS company, said the order moves the country's military a step closer to equipping all of its aircraft with basically the same planning system.

Cassidian already supplies a mission planning system for helicopters of the German army aviation corps.