ATLANTA, Sept. 21, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- EMS Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:ELMG) has announced today the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is equipping ground operators of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) in southeastern Asia with real-time video capabilities from EMS DVB-RCS systems. The two-way, open-standard terminals give the U.S. intelligence community real-time video feeds of surveillance data in key locations involved in the war on terror.
Marshall Communications, a systems integration firm specializing in satellite communications, is the prime contractor and DVB-RCS Hub integrator for DoD and has issued a subcontract to EMS's Satellite Networks Division. Financial details of the contract were not disclosed. EMS is supplying a hub in Europe and more than a dozen SITs (Satellite Interactive Terminals) in Asia, co-located with ground flight operators who control the UAVs. The system is the first of its type to support these kinds of reconnaissance applications.
"Without question, unmanned aerial vehicles, remotely piloted or self-piloted, are on the front lines of the war on terrorism. It's exciting that we can bring DVB-RCS as a commercial, off-the-shelf solution to the table to increase the speed by which we receive UAV data," says Bruce Bennett, chief, DISN Integration and Evolution Division. "We view this initial deployment as a proving ground for future DVB-RCS applications by DoD."
Don Osborne, senior vice president and general manager, EMS Satellite Networks, said, "We are proud to support the war on terror and are pleased that the DoD is embracing DVB-RCS as a standard that can help improve intelligence gathering. EMS is a leader in the DVB-RCS market, and will continue to pursue opportunities to provide open-standard, broadband solutions to defense and homeland-security customers."
"We are excited about working with EMS Satellite Networks and deploying DVB-RCS systems for DoD as they look to bolster their data gathering with real-time video feeds. We look forward to more opportunities to partner together," added Sonny Marshall, president of Marshall Communications.
The EMS hardware is scheduled to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2005.
About Marshall Communications Corp.
Headquartered in Ashburn, Va., Marshall Communications Corp. is a small disadvantaged (SDB), Vietnam Veteran-Owned Business (VOSB), established in 1991. Marshall is a leader in broadband satellite and multimedia services and is the only small business in the region and one of only two nationwide to win a series of satellite service contracts from the U.S. General Services Administrations' Federal Technology Service (FTS). Marshall's team has more than 90 years of satellite communications network operations, planning, and systems engineering experience. The company specializes in delivering value-added, end-to-end integrated satellite-based telecommunications systems.
About EMS Technologies, Inc.
EMS Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:ELMG) is a leading innovator in the design and manufacture of wireless, satellite and defense solutions, and focuses its unique range of advanced technologies on the needs of broadband and mobile information users. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, has approximately 1,800 workers worldwide, and operates manufacturing facilities in Atlanta, Montreal, Ottawa, and Brazil.
The Satellite Networks Division of EMS Technologies has played a critical role in the development of the DVB-RCS international open standard for high-speed, bi-directional Internet communications via satellite and is a leading provider of broadband satellite communications ground terminal and hub solutions. EMS's DVB-RCS product and technology solutions enable two-way broadband access for a wide range of networking applications. Applications range from Internet access and simple Web browsing, to more sophisticated virtual private networks, videoconferencing and voice-over-IP. EMS's DVB-RCS solutions are the only multiple-access solutions capable of delivering data transfer rates of up to 45Mbps for downloads and up to 4Mbps for uploads at each remote terminal, or enough bandwidth to support anything from a small business to an entire community from a single remote terminal.
For additional information, visit EMS on the World Wide Web at www.ems-t.com.