The Australian Department of Defence has selected Australian small business Clearbox Systems to enhance its global Satellite Communications (SATCOM) network.
The multi-year contract, which includes options for extension, will see Clearbox Systems design and implement the Aggregated Monitoring and Control System (AM&CS) to provide remote, centralised operation of Defence’s SATCOM ground and space assets in Australia and abroad.
Currently, various SATCOM capabilities are operated in ‘silos’ causing operators to have to navigate through multiple systems to complete everyday tasks. The AM&CS will make use of Clearbox Systems’ world-leading SATCOM technology to integrate these silos. This will allow Defence to better meet its growing bandwidth needs by making more efficient use of equipment and radio frequency resources as they become available.
The value of the award to date is $12.1 million with the contract allowing for future task orders as the program progresses.
Work has commenced to deploy the system with Clearbox Systems providing locally developed products as well as specialist software engineering, integration and cyber security services. The work is building on over a decade of contribution to Defence’s SATCOM capability.
The work is being conducted out of Clearbox Systems’ secure facilities in Sydney and Canberra and has led to the creation of new specialist engineering roles within the company.
Jeremy Hallett, Executive Director of Clearbox Systems, said the company’s entry into the Defence market over a decade ago was on the back of the firm’s leading SATCOM solutions. He stated that it is gratifying that the quality of the company’s work over that time has been recognized through the award of this Prime Contract to deliver an enhanced SATCOM capability to Defence. Clearbox Systems look sforward the continuing this close engagement with Defence and ensuring its global SATCOM networks are secure and easy to use.
