Microwave Journal
www.microwavejournal.com/articles/1790-commonwealth-awards-bae-systems-australia-astis-contract

Commonwealth Awards BAE Systems Australia ASTIS Contract

February 28, 2004

Under an agreement worth A$75 M BAE Systems Australia has been awarded a contract to provide strategically important elements of the Advanced Satellite Communications Terrestrial Infrastructure System (ASTIS) within the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF’s) Military Satellite Communications Programme JP2008.

The company, working in conjunction with partners Astrium, Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) and EM Solutions, will furnish the satellite communications infrastructure to give mobile and deployed forces the capability to transfer information for Command Control and the capability to access other information. It aims to extend the strategic level Defence Information Environment (DIE) to the operational and tactical environments using the Defence owned communications payload operating on board the recently launched C1 satellite.

The sophisticated satellite communications systems that will be developed and installed under the contract will be tailored to suit the demands of the military operational environment, primarily on naval vessels.

“This project is a vital element in the Australian Defence Force’s emerging battle space communications upgrade. The win reinforces our position as Australia’s leading prime systems integrator of military communications systems,” said Andrew Makin, general manager of C3I, BAE Systems Australia.