MIDDLETOWN, R.I., Jan. 9, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq:KVHI) has surpassed the 100-vessel mark in its 10-year contract to supply the next-generation satellite communications solution for the U.S. Coast Guard's fleet of small cutters. To date, KVH's TracPhone® V7 systems have been deployed on 105 USCG vessels across eight different classes of cutters, and KVH's mini-VSAT Broadbandsm service has provided 29.2 terabytes of data and more than 835,000 Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) minutes. The contract for hardware, airtime, and support was first announced in September 2010.
KVH systems are now in use on cutters in all U.S. Coast Guard districts in the continental U.S., as well as overseas in the Persian Gulf, Guam, and Puerto Rico. A cutter is a USCG designation for any vessel over 65 feet in length, including coastal patrol boats, seagoing buoy tenders, and fast-response cutters.
This diverse range of platforms supports a variety of critical USCG operations including drug interdiction, maritime border security, anti-piracy tasks, search and rescue operations, and humanitarian efforts. The low latency of the KVH service is particularly important to the fast and efficient processing of biometric information from vessel to shore, a key to immigration and law enforcement activities. The 24/7 nature of USCG operations and the extreme sea and weather conditions in which these relatively small vessels operate are proof of the durability and reliability of the TracPhone V7 and mini-VSAT Broadband service.
"In the face of rapidly expanding data communications requirements, including real-time use of biometric technology, homeland security efforts, and extended worldwide operations, the U.S. Coast Guard needed a global communications solution robust enough to support these demands and rugged enough for even the most demanding maritime conditions," explains Martin Kits van Heyningen, KVH's chief executive officer. "Affordability was a critical factor for the U.S. Coast Guard as well, and our mini-VSAT Broadband network offers a cost-effective solution to replace expensive legacy services and still provide global coverage."
In announcing the 10-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, valued at approximately $42 million, in September 2010, the U.S. Coast Guard Telecommunications and Information Systems Command (TISCOM) named KVH's TracPhone V7 and mini-VSAT Broadband service as the U.S. Coast Guard's Small Cutter Connectivity (SCC) Ku-band System and Air Time Support Services solution. The SCC program is part of the U.S. Coast Guard's initiative to upgrade the legacy cutter fleet's commercial satellite systems in order to provide improved communication capabilities for voice and data transmission and reception, as well as improving interoperability with Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense partners. Supporting KVH in this multi-year effort are network partner ViaSat, Inc., (Nasdaq:VSAT) and logistics partner Mackay Communications.
In addition to the deployment of TracPhone V7 on the U.S. Coast Guard cutters, KVH's mini-VSAT Broadband solution is fielded aboard vessels of the U.S. Navy, joint forces, foreign coalition navies, state emergency service organizations, and commercial fleets operating worldwide.
Note to Editors: High-resolution, press-ready images of KVH's TracPhone V-IP series systems and mini-VSAT Broadband coverage maps are available at www.kvh.com/Press-Room for download and editorial use. Visit www.minivsat.com/vip for complete details about the global mini-VSAT Broadband network, TracPhone V-IP series antennas, and upcoming IP-MobileCast content delivery service.
About KVH Industries, Inc.
KVH Industries is a leading manufacturer of solutions that provide global high-speed Internet, television, and voice services via satellite to mobile users at sea, on land, and in the air, and is a leading news, music, and entertainment content provider to many industries including maritime, retail, and leisure. KVH Industries is also a premier manufacturer of high-performance sensors and integrated inertial systems for defense and commercial guidance and stabilization applications. KVH is based in Middletown, RI, U.S.A., with facilities in Illinois, Denmark, Norway, the U.K., Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Cyprus, and Japan.
This release may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include, for example, the potential value of military contracts and the anticipated number of KVH products to be fielded. The actual results could differ materially. Factors that may cause such differences include, among others, uneven military sales cycles, changes in military fielding and equipment requirements, and changes in international situations, as well as those discussed in KVH's most recent Form 10-Q filed with the SEC. KVH does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect new information or developments.
KVH and TracPhone are registered trademarks of KVH Industries, Inc. "mini-VSAT Broadband" is a service mark of KVH Industries, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.