Trimble Wins Military Contract From Boeing - Company Business and Marketing

EDP Weekly's IT Monitor, May 14, 2001

Trimble (Nasdaq: TRMB) has been awarded a contract from the Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) for the U.S. Air Force KC-10A Aircraft Global Air Traffic Management (GATM) upgrade program. The contract is valued at approximately $2.7 million.

Under the contract, Trimble will incorporate Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) capability into its TASMAN(TM) ARINC-12 (TA-12) Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation receiver and maintain Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to Technical Standard Order (TSO) C-129a. As part of the SAASM upgrade effort, a number of pre-planned product improvements will also be incorporated into the TA-12 such as increased anti-jam performance, a faster low-power microprocessor as well as improved integrity performance in accordance with RTCA/DO-229B.

The tremendous growth in air traffic presents increasing challenges for air traffic service providers, air carriers, and the military. GATM presents the Air Force and Department of Defense an opportunity to capture the latest technology, modernize the older cockpits and improve flight safety, without significant impact to life cycle costs.

Trimble's TA-12 is a robust dual-purpose GPS receiver designed for military aircraft to comply with civil flight rules when operating within FAA controlled airspace. In the Precise Positioning Service (PPS) mode, the TA-12 meets the Navigation Warfare (NAVWAR) safety and security requirements for military aviation operations. When operated in the Standard Positioning Service (SPS) mode, the TA-12 is approved by the FAA under TSO C-129a Class B1/C1.

SAASM represents the next generation of GPS security devices mandated for use in all military receivers procured after October 1, 2002. SAASM provides the highest level of GPS navigation accuracy, integrity, and protection to the U.S. military and its authorized allies. Trimble was granted NAVSTAR Joint Program Office SAASM Security Approval on May 1, 2000.

In 1999, Trimble's TA-12 became the industry's first standalone PPS capable military GPS navigation receiver to gain FAA certification for SPS operation within FAA controlled airspace. Since its introduction, the TA-12 has been installed on numerous U.S. Army and Air Force airborne platforms.

Trimble is an innovator of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. In addition to providing advanced GPS components, Trimble augments GPS with other positioning technologies as well as wireless communications and software to create complete customer solutions. Trimble's worldwide presence and unique capabilities position the Company for growth in emerging applications including surveying, automobile navigation, machine guidance, asset tracking, wireless platforms, and telecommunications infrastructure. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Trimble has more than 2,000 employees in more than 20 countries worldwide.