Exelis wins SATCOM contract

Soldiers drive the new Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected All-Terrain Vehicle Nov. 27 during M-ATV driver’s training here. Engineered specifically for the mountainous Afghan terrain, the first M-ATVs designated for Southern Afghanistan arrived on Kandahar Airfield Oct. 22.

Exelis has received a $7.6 million order for on-the-move satellite communications.

The contract, through ADS Inc., is for Global Network on the Move-Active Distribution (GNOMAD) broadband satellite system. Exelis describes GNOMAD as a “combat-proven, modular, reliable communications system that fully integrates into a variety of armored combat vehicles, commercial SUVs, and military platforms of all descriptions.”

GNOMAD is open-architecture and uses low-profile antennae. It has already been used by the Army and Department of Homeland Security during emergency domestic response missions. The contract also includes the ability to use Ku-band and X-band satellite services on the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) Constellation.

Delivery is scheduled to be completed by March 2015.