buglerbilly
28-04-10, 12:17 PM
April 28, 2010 - 5:34PM
AAP
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) will buy the remainder of a satellite communications payload to further boost global communications of its ships, aircraft and troops.
In a 2009 deal, the ADF agreed to purchase part of the specialised UHF (ultra high frequency) communications package on an Intelsat satellite set for launch in early 2012.
The ADF has now exercised its option to purchase the rest of the communications payload aboard Intelsat 22.
Australia and the United States have also signed a memorandum of understanding setting out terms for sharing of UHF communications resources.
Don Brown, vice-president for hosted payload programs at Intelsat General Corporation, said the growing partnership with the ADF was an example of long-term capabilities which could be provided by commercial satellite operators to government and military users.
"As a result of our direct partnership with the ADF, we are building a payload that will serve the ADF's growing communication requirements for the next two decades," he said in a statement.
"This agreement extends Intelsat's ongoing commitment to the Australian government and exemplifies the powerful tool that hosted payloads offer government users for SATCOM augmentation."
Intelsat is the world's leading provider of fixed satellite services, operating a constellation of more than 50 communications satellites.
Intelsat 22 is currently being manufactured by aerospace company Boeing.
It will be placed in orbit over the Indian Ocean carrying three specific communications payloads, one providing services for the Africa and Asia regions, another providing services to the Middle East, Africa and Europe and the third used only by the ADF.
The ADF has a growing reliance on satellite communications to run operations in theatres such as Afghanistan. The UHF band is used widely by the military because of its adaptability to small, mobile terminals used by ground, sea and air forces.
The deal signed last year is worth $230 million with the contract running for 15 years.
© 2010 AAP
AAP
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) will buy the remainder of a satellite communications payload to further boost global communications of its ships, aircraft and troops.
In a 2009 deal, the ADF agreed to purchase part of the specialised UHF (ultra high frequency) communications package on an Intelsat satellite set for launch in early 2012.
The ADF has now exercised its option to purchase the rest of the communications payload aboard Intelsat 22.
Australia and the United States have also signed a memorandum of understanding setting out terms for sharing of UHF communications resources.
Don Brown, vice-president for hosted payload programs at Intelsat General Corporation, said the growing partnership with the ADF was an example of long-term capabilities which could be provided by commercial satellite operators to government and military users.
"As a result of our direct partnership with the ADF, we are building a payload that will serve the ADF's growing communication requirements for the next two decades," he said in a statement.
"This agreement extends Intelsat's ongoing commitment to the Australian government and exemplifies the powerful tool that hosted payloads offer government users for SATCOM augmentation."
Intelsat is the world's leading provider of fixed satellite services, operating a constellation of more than 50 communications satellites.
Intelsat 22 is currently being manufactured by aerospace company Boeing.
It will be placed in orbit over the Indian Ocean carrying three specific communications payloads, one providing services for the Africa and Asia regions, another providing services to the Middle East, Africa and Europe and the third used only by the ADF.
The ADF has a growing reliance on satellite communications to run operations in theatres such as Afghanistan. The UHF band is used widely by the military because of its adaptability to small, mobile terminals used by ground, sea and air forces.
The deal signed last year is worth $230 million with the contract running for 15 years.
© 2010 AAP