ND SatCom and EADS Space Services announced Wednesday they have won a contract with the German Armed Forces to establish the next step of that military's satellite communications program, SATCOMBw Stufe 2.
SATCOMBw Stufe 2 comprises two military communication satellites, several fixed and transportable ground stations of various sizes as well as a bundle of communication services.
The contract period is 10 years and is worth 180 million Euros ($230 million), with an option for follow-up contracts.
Under the agreement, ND SatCom will provide a complete ground segment containing the various user ground stations, the telemetry, tracking and command network as well as network management for monitoring and controlling the overall system. EADS will deliver the space segment, which includes two military satellites.
ND SatCom and EADS have established a common special- purposes company, MilSat Services, in which EADS holds 74.9 percent and ND SatCom 25.1 percent. The joint venture will manage the deployment and integration of the overall system for the customer.
During the operational phase, MilSat Services will provide additional military communication services and operate the two military satellites.
ND SatCom was involved in the first stage of the SATCOMBw program, called SATCOMBw Stufe 1, which has been in use for four years and is deployed in Germany's NATO missions.
ND SatCom, an SES ASTRA company, supplies satellite-based broadband VSAT, broadcast and defense communication networks and ground station solutions.
