Harris… Well MET For SatTerminals

[SatNews] Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS) has received a $55 million delivery order for advanced satellite terminals under the U.S. Army’s Modernization of Enterprise Terminals (MET) program. These next-generation military satellite communications terminals will provide the worldwide backbone for high-priority military communications and missile defense systems.

Harris is the prime contractor for the Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity MET contract with a five-year base period plus a five-year option period. The MET contract is valued at a potential $600 million, including the base and option periods. This brings total MET orders for Harris to $153 million since the program was awarded in April 2009. Harris had previously received delivery orders for satellite terminals and other equipment and services in support of the initial First Article Test (FAT) development and certification phase of the MET program. Under this new $55 million order, Harris will supply additional terminals — large fixed terminals, large fixed terminals with High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) protection, and transportable terminals of the standard and hardened configurations. The order also includes four options that would encompass new development of a small fixed terminal, a large fixed radome, an enhanced interactive electronic technical manual, and training simulation hardware.

Under the MET program, managed by the Project Manager, Defense Communications and Army Transmission Systems (PM DCATS) in Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey, Harris will replace up to 80 AN/GSC-52, AN/GSC-39, AN/FSC-78 and other aging strategic satellite communications terminals with new X-band or simultaneous X- and Ka-band terminals. The terminals will interface with the new Wideband Global Satellite constellation, as well as with legacy satellite systems. The company also will support field activities such as site preparation, installation, test, operations and maintenance. The next major milestone in the program will be the Test Readiness Review, scheduled for September 2010.

The new terminals will support Internet Protocol and Dedicated Circuit Connectivity within the Global Information Grid, providing critical “reach-back” capability for the warfighter. This capability enables a soldier in the field to communicate back to the main base or command, with the ability to access resources not available at that remote location.