Range Support
Range Support
No matter where the Range is located Oceantronics can provide cost saving support. Over 40 man years of supporting test ranges including Kwajalein, PMRF, Pt. Mugu, China Lake, Edwards, Corona, White Sands, Kodiak, Yuma, Huntsville, Tyndall. Patrick AFB, Kennedy Space Center, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Kirtland Air Force Base, Roosevelt Roads, Hill Air Force Base, Dugway Proving Ground, and over seas ranges such as Esrange in Sweden. Our personnel have designed, built, tested, installed, trained and provided full documentation on systems provided to the ranges.
A major issue to a engineering activity procuring telemetry systems is " typically the bidders only propose their equipment solutions". At Oceantronics we are a systems integrator and we do not build any of the subsystem components. This represents a significant advantage to the end user. Lets look at an end user requirement to upgrade an existing system. The most competent suppliers of each subsystem almost always are different companies. Typically the bidders will only sell their products. If another vendors products are specified in the solicitation then that vendor is afraid of selling their product to the other bidders because what often happens is the primary supplier decides it is more beneficial to their company to provide a subsystem product of their own design for the follow-on systems.
Since we do not build any telemetry products we do not represent a threat to any supplier of telemetry equipment. Lets say that their is a requirement for a 13 Meter System, new or upgrade. The following is an estimate of the number of US companies that build subsystem components;
1. Radome - Companies (3)
2. Reflector - Companies (2)
3. RF Feed Assembly - Companies (7)
4. Pedestal - Companies (9)
5. Servo - Companies (10)
6. Control System - Companies (8)
7. Down Converters and Multicouplers (2)
8. Track and Data Receivers (3)
9. RF Switching Matrix/Patch panel (3)
As a system integrator, with the knowledge of the performance of the subsystems of the suppliers we are able to select the best solution for the customer. As the systems integrator we assume total responsibility for the performance of the system.
The saving to the end user is substantial because of our low markup. The following is an example of the differential in cost between procuring the system from a company that builds some of the subsystems. The first system cost assumes that Oceantronics procures all items and provides a complete system. The second assumes that the antenna supplier provides the system.
Oceantronics
| Description | Antenna System | Control System | Radome | Totals |
| Direct Cost | $1,250,000 | $75,000 | $350,000 | |
| 10% Markup | $125,000 | $7,500 | $35,000 | |
| Sell Price | $1,375,000 | $82,500 | $385,000 | $1,842,500 |
| Description | Down Conv. | Multicouplers | Soil Report | |
| Direct Cost | $50,000 | $18,000 | $14,800 | |
| 10% markup | $5,000 | $1,800 | $1,480 | |
| Sell Price | $55,000 | $19,800 | $16,280 | $91,080 |
| Description | P/M | Sys Removal | Sys Install | |
| Direct Cost | $75,000 | $75,000 | ||
| 10% Markup | $7,500 | $7,500 | ||
| Sell Price | $50,000 | $82,500 | $82,500 | $215,000 |
| Description | Eng. DWGS | 3 Phase UPS | OSHA Insp. | |
| Direct Cost | $17,000 | $50,000 | $32,000 | |
| 10% markup | $1,700 | $5,000 | $3,200 | |
| Sell Price | $18,700 | $55,000 | $35,200 | $108,900 |
| Job Total | $2,257,480 |
Antenna Supplier
| Description | Antenna System | Control System | Radome | Totals |
| Direct Cost | $75,000 | $350,000 | ||
| 145% markup | ||||
| Sell Price 15% | $1,250,000 | $125,063 | $683,625 | $2,058,688 |
| Description | Down Conv. | Multicouplers | Soil Report | |
| Direct Cost | $50,000 | $18,000 | $14,800 | |
| 145% markup | ||||
| Sell Price 15% | $83,375 | $30,015 | $24,679 | $138,069 |
| Description | P/M | Sys Removal | Sys Install | |
| Direct Cost | $75,000 | $75,000 | ||
| 145% markup | ||||
| Sell Price 15% | $75,000 | $125,063 | $125,063 | $325,126 |
| Description | Eng. DWGS | 3 Phase UPS | OSHA Insp. | |
| Direct Cost | $17,000 | $50,000 | $32,000 | |
| 145% markup | ||||
| Sell Price 15% | $28,348 | $83,375 | $53,360 | $165,083 |
| Job Total | $2,686,966 |
As shown the savings to the end user is $429,486. In addition the subsystem components are selected based on performance not by manufacturer.