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Communications Operations News

20 Apr 2015

Balikatan to Focus on Maritime Security

Officials from the Philippine and United States armed forces participating in this year's Balikatan exercises, the largest in 15 years,  insisted that the said activities will not zero in on possible response to the issue of the South China Sea. A statement earlier released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines said the US is sending 6,656 troops to the country, more than double the approximately 2,500 American servicemen who joined last year’s exercise. During the opening ceremonies at Camp Aguinaldo on Monday, some officials, including Foreign Affairs Usec. Evan Garcia and Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., mentioned maritime defense and concerns in their speeches.

25 Mar 2015

ASV Wins Maritime Autonomy R&D Funding

ASV Ltd, in partnership with nine other commercial and research organisations, have been awarded funding by Innovate UK to undertake in excess of £3million worth of research and development for Maritime Autonomous Systems (MAS). Three separate projects involving ASV will look to address different areas covering the wide spectrum of activities concerning Maritime Autonomous Systems. These include software and communications, operations and regulations, autonomous vehicle interaction and launch and recovery. “ASV is delighted to be leading this pivotal research and development that will help secure the UK’s place at the cutting edge of maritime autonomy”, said Dan Hook, ASV Managing Director.

09 Jan 2014

Kongsberg Open 'Subsea Valley', Oslo, Office

Image courtesy of Kongsberg

The company says it has installed 330 employees in a new building which will be the main headquarters for the Group's Oil & Gas business area in addition to accommodating some of the Group's defence activities. According to the cluster organisation 'Subsea Valley', the area between Fornebu and Drammen currently includes some 200 enterprises that represent nearly 57 000 workplaces and roughly NOK 111 billion in sales. The cluster organisation estimates that it has a market share in excess of 70 per cent of the global market for subsea technology.

12 Mar 2008

NAVFAC Pacific Awards Contract for New Communications Facility

The Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Pacific awarded Watts Constructors, LLC, of , a $46.9 million, firm-fixed-price contract on March 5 for construction of a new communications center at Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station (NCTAMS) Pacific. The work includes construction of a new single-story, steel framed building that will be equipped with raised floors, moveable interior walls, fire-suppression system, conference rooms, and emergency electrical power. Supporting facilities work will include a parking lot, sidewalks, landscaping, fencing and lighting. "Four years of hard work by the NCTAMS PAC staff…

11 Dec 2001

VT Acquires Merlin Communications

Vosper Thornycroft (VT) announces that it has agreed to acquire Merlin for approximately $136 million USD ($94 million GBP). Merlin’s principal business is the facilities management of communications operations, primarily for the BBC in relation to the BBC World Service and for the Ministry of Defense (MOD). It also operates a global short wave and medium wave transmission network. Merlin will complement and extend VT’s existing skills and experience in the provision of technical services and is and important step towards VT’s target to more than double turnover from its support services business over the next 3 financial years. For the year ended March 31, 2001, Merlin reported operating profit, excluding a business to be discontinued, of $7.2 million on turnover of $74.6 million.

14 Jan 2002

Telenor Finalizes Comsat Acquisition

Telenor has completed the acquisition of COMSAT Mobile Communications operations . Simultaneously to the acquisition, Telenor gathers all its mobile satellite activities under the new business area name Telenor Satellite Services, and becomes one of the world's largest global mobile satellite operators. COMSAT Mobile now becomes the U.S. Inc. COMSAT Mobile, has annual revenues in excess of $100 million. transaction transfers CMC's operations, including all employees as well as the two earth station facilities in Southbury, Connecticut, and Santa Paula, California, to Telenor. Additionally, in September 2000 Telenor purchased a portion of LMT's Inmarsat shares to become the largest single owner of Inmarsat Ventures plc, holding the maximum permitted stake of 15 percent.

27 Mar 2001

Telenor to Acquire COMSAT

Telenor of Norway and Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications (LMGT) announced that Telenor will acquire LMGT's COMSAT Mobile Communications operations for $116.5 million in cash. The acquisition, which positions Telenor as a major global satellite mobile operator, is subject to regulatory approvals. COMSAT Mobile, with annual revenues in excess of $100 million, provides global mobile communications solutions to the maritime, land mobile and aeronautical communities, and offers data, voice, fax, telex and video capabilities via the Inmarsat satellite constellation. Telenor's purchase of COMSAT Mobile operations also includes two earth station facilities in Southbury, Connecticut, and Santa Paula, California. Linking the two U.S.

05 Apr 2006

GW Carrier Strike Group Underway for SOUTHCOM Deployment

USS George Washington (CVN 73) (GW) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 departed Naval Station Norfolk April 4 as part of U.S. Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM) “Partnership of the Americas” deployment. The two-month underway period marks GW’s first deployment since leaving the Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipyard in December. “Partnership of the Americas is designed to foster goodwill among partner nations through communications, operations and training,” said Vice Adm. Mark Fitzgerald, commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet. More than 6,500 Sailors from the GW Carrier Strike Group (GWCSG) ships will deploy to the Caribbean Sea to enhance regional maritime security and strengthen ties through operations and exercises with Caribbean and Latin American partner nations.

26 Aug 1999

ICG Helps Optimize Passenger Calling Services

The cruise line industry had a problem with optimizing passenger calling services. The requirements to any solution presented were to replicate the automation and conveniences offered by a contemporary business hotel and to make the billing and accounting functions automatic and accurate. Many of the large cruise lines came to ICG with their requirements because of the expertise acquired through years of providing communications management and control solutions to the commercial shipping and general aviation industries. ICG was tasked to provide a multi-medium communications control and switching center and to provide an accounting platform to account for every outbound call, whether it was revenue bearing or an expense.