[Satellite TODAY 12-03-09] Iridium Communications and ITT Corp. received a $9.7 million contract from the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) to supply 1,450 Iridium-based DTCS-RO handheld tactical satellite transceiver devices for use by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, ITT announced Dec. 2.
     The DTCS-RO handheld push-to-talk radios use the Iridium satellite network to provide over-the-horizon, beyond-line-of-sight tactical networks for warfighters on the move. ITT will manufacture and deliver the transceivers by March.
     In June, NSWC awarded Iridium a five-year development contract valued at up to $21.7 million for Phase Two of the DTCS program, also known as Netted Iridium. In Phase One, launched in 2006, Iridium worked with the U.S. Department of Defense and industry partners to demonstrate the feasibility of using Iridium’s satellite network to support a multi-cast architecture for tactical voice and data communications.

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