SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., 19 August 2005. General Dynamics C4 Systems has been awarded an $18 million contract by the National Security Agency (NSA) to design and develop a mobile telephone/personal digital assistant.
The Secure PDA Phone will provide secure voice and data communications, including e-mail, web access, and file viewing. The award is part of the Secure Mobile Environment (SME) program, which calls for a single device for government users requiring "Type I" security that also provides wireless access to the government's Secure Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet) for secure web-browsing and messaging.
The Secure PDA Phone will operate via existing commercial cellular networks and will have modular architecture for connectivity to a wide array of wireless protocols such as the Global System for Mobile Communications and Code Division Multiple Access. The Secure PDA Phone will interface with the Department of Defense Public Key Infrastructure using the government's standard Common Access Card.
"The Secure PDA Phone is the critical next-step to providing a robust and secure link to the next generation battlefield communications network and will be responsive to the government's global information grid," said John Cole, vice president of Information Assurance for General Dynamics C4 Systems. "The device will support the government's emerging secure communications standards for homeland security and will be scalable to meet coalition government and military requirements."
The Secure PDA Phone will interoperate with General Dynamics' Sectéra Wireline Terminal and Sectéra Secure Wireless Phone for GSM. Delivery of the first Secure PDA Phone is expected in the second quarter of 2007.
General Dynamics C4 Systems is an integrator of secure communication and information systems and technology. With more than 10,000 employees worldwide, the company specializes in command and control, communications networking, space systems, computing and information assurance for defense, government and select commercial customers in the United States and abroad.
General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 70,800 people worldwide and had 2004 revenue of $19.2 billion. The company is a market leader in mission-critical information systems and technologies; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and business aviation. For more information, see www.generaldynamics.com.
