From http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2000/b12062000_bt729-00.html
The Department of Defense, through its Defense Information Systems
Agency, last night awarded Iridium Satellite LLC of Arnold, Md., a
$72 million contract for 24 months of satellite communications
services. This contract would provide unlimited airtime for 20,000
government users over the Iridium satellite network.
The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the
cumulative value of this contract to $252 million and extend the
period of performance to December 2007.
The Department has taken this action because the Iridium system
offers state-of-the-art technology. It features on-satellite signal
processing and inter-satellite crosslinks allowing satellite-mode
service to any open area on earth. It provides mobile,
cryptographically secure telephone services to small handsets
anywhere on the globe, pole-to-pole, 24 hours a day. The system and
its DoD enhancements will provide handheld service currently not
available.
...
"Iridium will not only add to our existing capability, it will
provide a commercial alternative to our purely military systems.
This may enable real civil/military dual use, keep us closer to the
leading edge technologically, and provide a real alternative for the
future," said Dave Oliver, principal deputy undersecretary of Defense
(Acquisition, Technology and Logistics).
Iridium Satellite LLC is now purchasing the operating assets of
Iridium LLC and its existing subsidiaries, pursuant to a Nov. 22,
2000 order of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of
New York.
...
Early next year, Iridium will offer a classified capability.
Classified service will not only be provided for users already
registered to the DoD gateway, but will also be extended to new users
from DoD, other federal agencies, and selected allied governments.
[Works out to $150/handset/month, not unreasonable for secure, 4*Pi
coverage. I wonder how many units will end up in the hands of
political appointees? It could become the status symbol of the next
administration. -- agr]
