Bundeswehr's IT Infrastructure to be Overhauled

A consortium called TIS, which comprises German electronics giant Siemens, Deutsche Telekom's IT unit T-Systems and US computer giant IBM, is to make a bid to overhaul the German army's (Bundeswehr) IT infrastructures, the business daily Handelslbatt reported on Monday. TIS is to submit an offer to obtain the €6.5-billion ($8.5-billion) so-called "Herkules" contract at the beginning of February, quoting sources close to both the companies and the German defence ministry. An earlier offer for the "Herkules" project by a rival consortium ISIC 21 comprising EADS, German telecoms operator Mobilcom and CSC Ploenzke, the German IT services unit of US group CSC, ran aground in July, with the consortium claiming the Bundeswehr's demands were unreasonable.