SICRAL Satellites To Provide Newly Contracted Telecom Services

Telespazio has signed agreements for two separate contracts with DRS Technologies, which was acquired by Finmeccanica in October of 2008. The agreement covers the provision of telecommunications services via the Italian SICRAL satellites and the Telespazio satellite telecommunications centre in Fucino.

Under the first contract, which is for 12 years and worth around 30 million euro, Telespazio will provide DRS Technologies with satellite capacity via the Italian SICRAL military communications satellites, including SICRAL-1B, the second satellite in the system, which is scheduled for launch in February 2009. Telespazio’s direct investment in the construction of SICRAL-1B means it has access to a portion of the satellite’s transmission capacity. The second contract is for seven years and worth 4 million euro, and involves the supply of satellite transmission services (uplink) via the Fucino Space Centre. The signing of these agreements will provide a platform for further growth in the U.S. market in the military communications and global network communications sectors. This agreement also increases DRS Technologies’ opportunities to provide the US defence forces with connectivity services in theatres of operations via the use of ground infrastructure (global network communications at the Fucino Space Centre) and satellite capacity made available by the Finmeccanica Group.