Modern MFG Services, Inc., Wholly Owned Subsidiary, and Consortium is Awarded a $53MM+ SPARTAN USV for the Navy.

Business Editors

SILVERDALE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 03, 2002

Modern MFG Services, Inc. (OTCBB:MMFS) wholly owned subsidiary: Integrated Maritime Platforms International, Inc. (IMPII) has received initial draw down funding of $48,000 to start the SPARTAN USV project.

IMPII is a one-quarter equal partner with two major defense contractors and a Navy lab. This ACTD named: SPARTAN ("remotely controlled boats") is a research and development project funded to $53MM+. The final 7-meter SPARTAN could eventually total several hundred boats, will be the USV (unmanned surface vehicle) outfitted on every 21st Century Navy's DD(X) ships. The SPARTAN consortium was developed to accelerate a Naval project through direct commercial businesses. Chief of Naval Operations: Adm. Vern Clark and the Spartan Program Manager: Vic Ricci want to accelerate this program so the present fleet can have the SPARTAN as soon as possible.

Roger Janssen, President and CEO of Modern said, "This project is part of the new 21st century Navy and implementing new technologies and ideas will minimize risk to people and ships."

An informative recent article was published in the October 18-21 issue of Defense News quoting the Chief of Naval Operations: Adm. Vern Clark and the Spartan Program Manager: Vic Ricci.

Pubdate: 10/21/2002

Publication: Defense News

Author: Jason Sherman 

U.S. Navy Speeds Unmanned Boat Project

The U.S. Navy's top officer wants to deploy within a year an unmanned boat designed to protect and scout for combat ships in potentially dangerous waters.

Dubbed Spartan, a prototype is preparing for sea trials in early 2003, part of a development effort that originally sought to give the fleet such boats by 2007.

However, Adm. Vern Clark, the chief of naval operations, wants the fleet to have Spartan as soon as possible.

"I would like to see that deployed inside of a year if we could," Clark said Oct. 2 in a speech at a conference in Virginia Beach, Va., sponsored by the Naval Institute.

That's possible, but it would mean spending more and forgoing some planned features, said Spartan program manager Vic Ricci.

"We have a prototype that's running right now," he said. "But it's like anything else, it depends on what capabilities you want to accelerate. There are some we could do in the near term."

Ricci's team has been exploring ways to accelerate the program since Clark paid a Sept. 18 visit to their offices at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center at Newport, R.I. Speeding Spartan to the fleet will require more than the $53 million approved for the six-year effort in 2002. Ricci said the price will change depending on the desired capability and delivery date, neither of which have been set.

Spartan is a Pentagon-chartered Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration that aims to design modular combat capabilities for small utility boats that already are on combat ships.

"We take an existing capability and add warfighting mission packages to it," Ricci said.

The first step in the Spartan program is to equip a 7-meter rigid-hull inflatable boat, like those on combat ships, with navigation, communications, and computer gear for remote control and semi-autonomous operations.

"We hope to field a fleet of unmanned vessels that can go off and do dangerous or monotonous jobs on their own," said Ricci.

After a scheduled maiden unmanned voyage in 2003, the program would prepare to equip Spartan with:

1) Mine countermeasures.

2) Force protection, including intelligence, surveillance and

reconnaissance.

3) Precision strike and anti-surface warfare.

"We're taking existing technology and looking at what we can get to the war fighter today," said Ricci.

The objective of the Spartan project is larger than the three boats that will be handed over to U.S. Pacific Command's 3rd Fleet.

The aim is to "demonstrate the military utility of (unmanned surface vehicles) for assured access and force protection" in shallow waters, according to a program briefing. Spartan also aims to "fill a void in capability that the fleet is in critical need of today."

Equipped to conduct mine warfare, force protection, surveillance and reconnaissance, and to launch attacks, these remotely controlled boats could clear the way for amphibious and sealift operations, said Ricci.

Like unmanned aircraft, Spartan will minimize risk to people and Navy warships.

The U.S. Army's Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., and Singapore's Navy are participating in the Spartan program as well.

Spartan is being developed with assistance from Northrop Grumman Corp., Los Angeles; Raytheon Co., Waltham, Mass.; and Integrated Marine Platforms International, Silverdale, Wash.

"Industry is proving some engineering services, some mission packages, and really working with us to integrate these so that when we prepare to build Spartan, we will have a specification package that should be fit for manufacture," said Ricci.

Roger Janssen, President and CEO of Modern remarked, "We are very excited to be partnered with the front running defense designers for the new Spartan equipped Navy DD(X) ships."

MMFS OTHER PRODUCTS:

Modern MFG Services, Inc. (MMFS) is the exclusive provider of the GB-Challenger Class Craft, a high-speed, long-range multi-mission coastal patrol craft; unique in its ability to accept interchangeable mission modules. The GB-Challenger Class Craft range in size from 7 to 16+ meters, are highly maneuverable, have a range in excess of 500 nautical miles at speeds of 40+ knots, and are capable of carrying a heavy payload. The GB-Challenger Class Craft's hulls are aluminum, with rigid foam sponsons for enhanced buoyancy and stability in rugged seas. Key components of the GB 12-296 (12-meter) include two 660 H.P. Caterpillar engines coupled with Nomera Series water jet pumps: maximum horsepower\weight ratio.

For further information, please contact: Modern MFG Services, Inc. 425/315-1772 or visit our website at www.modernmfg.com.

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