Initial contract value is $3.5 million for 14 systems, and additional options for 300 terminals total $73.5 million.

The Global Broadcast Service (GBS), under development by Raytheon Systems Company, is an information system that enables U.S. Forces to receive up to 24 megabits per second of global broadcast information. The system employs the popular direct broadcast satellite technology to provide the rapid broadcast of high-volume military information, including maps, intelligence data, weather reports and air tasking orders.

It will enable information to be delivered in seconds, compared to minutes or hours needed in the past, using a common desktop computer interface.The GBS system is a space-based high data rate communication link providing information flow from the United States or other rear-echelon locations to military forces deployed in the field. The GBS space segment is a Ka-band communications payload carried aboard U.S. Navy UHF Follow-On (UFO) satellites. The first GBS payload is hosted on UFO Flight 8, which was launched in March 1998.

The GBS Shipboard Antenna Systems Ku/Ka multi-band systems are commercial off-the-shelf/non-developmental items, which are derivatives of the AN/USC-38 Navy EHF Satcom Program and the AN/WSC-6 SHF systems built by Raytheon. The production effort will be managed and work performed in Marlborough, Mass.

"This win is an excellent example of our efforts to address new requirements using existing, open architecture systems. We are the leaders in providing affordable, high bandwidth, highly reliable multi-band systems for the military and commercial marketplace," said Francis S. Marchilena, general manager of Raytheon System Company's Command, Control and Communication business segment.