LOWELL, Mass., 9 Nov. 2005. M/A-COM today announced that the company was awarded a $4.75 million contract by the U.S. Army's Assistant Project Manager for Land Mobile Radio (APM LMR) to provide a fully interoperable radio network for the U.S. Navy, with future potential for training, options and maintenance.
The contract for the Joint National Capital Region (J-NCR) Land Mobile Radio (LMR) Phase II system will provide the Naval District Washington (NDW) with a new state-of-the-art LMR communications network solution. Using M/A-COM's P25IP Trunked Internet Protocol (IP) Communications System, in combination with the NetworkFirst Interoperability solution, this system is one of the first Department of Defense LMR deployments in the United States to simultaneously serve the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The contract is Phase II of a "turnkey," completely integrated LMR system. Phase I, which also featured M/A-COM's P25IP system and NetworkFirst solution, linked the critical communications systems of approximately 3,000 Army base personnel in 11 separate Army installations in the J-NCR region. The combination of the J-NCR Phases I & II will link nearly 30 Department of Defense installations (17 Navy installations, 11 Army bases and Bolling Air Force Base), interoperating with more than 100 entities across the region.
The system will provide base radio communications for many thousands of DoD users while facilitating interoperable communications with civilian public safety agencies located in four states (Maryland, Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania). These agencies are currently communicating on different frequencies and have disparate radio systems throughout the J-NCR and NDW region.
"M/A-COM is proud to continue our successful eight-year partnership with the Navy to provide NDW and J-NCR with a powerful multi-service solution that is fully compliant with P25 trunking standards," said Kevin Fleming, director of federal sales at M/A-COM. "Our P25IP trunking system, in combination with our NetworkFirst technology, will leverage Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) equipment to supply J-NCR with the most cost-effective solution available, while providing full interoperability with all existing state, federal and metro Washington, DC first responders."
The digital system supports P25 trunking standard voice and data features including AES encryption. This system will operate using Department of Defense UHF spectrum in the 380-399.9 MHz frequency range. Additionally, the system is JF12 certified and meets the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) 12.5 kHz Narrowband mandate and the guidelines set forth in the Deputy Secretary of Defense's Policy Letter for LMR Systems.
"We are pleased to provide the Department of Defense with a wide-area LMR system that offers the significant benefits of an IP system including scalability, interoperability, flexibility as well as seamless roaming, that meets and surpasses current Homeland Security, Federal and military LMR standards and specifications," said Jay Herther, federal market director at M/A-COM.
"Through the unique technical capabilities of M/A-COM's NetworkFirst and P25IP technology, the J-NCR system is the blueprint for the present and future of federal radio communication. This system has virtually identical mission critical communication requirements as the upcoming Integrated Wireless Network (IWN) program, a collaborative effort by the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and the Treasury to provide a consolidated, nationwide federal wireless communications service for public safety first-responders throughout the country."
M/A-COM's P25IP provides trunked digital communications with industry-leading IP architecture for users who require Project 25 interoperability. M/A-COM is a turnkey systems supplier and their P25IP network solutions meet the NTIA mandates for narrowband operation in VHF and UHF frequencies, as well as Department of Defense mandates for Project 25 compliance. Through the use of industry-standard interfaces, instantaneous interoperability -- even with other vendors' radio equipment -- can be established between agencies operating with disparate radio systems, technologies and radio frequencies. M/A-COM's NetworkFirst Interoperability Solution provides an IP-based interoperability network solution to public safety agencies, thereby allowing real-time, in-place communications.
M/A-COM, Inc., a business unit of Tyco Electronics, is a supplier of critical communications systems and equipment for public safety, utility, federal and select commercial markets. Products range from some of the most advanced IP-based voice and data networks, to traditional wireless systems that offer customers the highest levels of reliability, interoperability, scalability and security. M/A-COM is also a recognized leader in the design and manufacture of radio frequency (RF), microwave and millimeter wave solutions for the commercial wireless telecommunications, aerospace and defense industries. Headquartered in Lowell, Mass., M/A-COM has offices and manufacturing facilities worldwide. For more information, see www.macom.com or www.macom-wireless.com.
Tyco Electronics is a business segment of Tyco International Ltd., a global, diversified company that provides vital products and services to customers in five business segments: Fire & Security, Electronics, Healthcare, Engineered Products & Services, and Plastics & Adhesives. With 2004 revenue of $40 billion, Tyco employs approximately 260,000 people worldwide. For more information, see www.tyco.com.
