DOD awards satellite deal for Armed Forces Radio

The Defense Department has awarded a contract potentially worth $145 million over seven years to Intelsat General Corp. to provide comprehensive satellite connectivity for the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service, company officials said. 

AFRTS provides multi-channel radio and television programs to military forces, civilian contractors and their families stationed abroad and on Navy ships at sea.

Intelsat General, a subsidiary of Intelsat, S.A., will provide the satellite capacity and terrestrial infrastructure via the IntelsatONE network to support the media service, as well as other internal information programming offered by the Defense Department.

In addition, Intelsat General is providing an end-to-end solution for four separate AFRTS services around the globe, including installation of new terminal equipment and terminal operations and maintenance at a new AFRTS facility at Fort Meade, Md.

The telecommunications company also will help AFRTS reduce the number of entry points and fiber connections for its services and maximize efficiencies in the use of the satellites.

AFRTS uses seven satellites and six data entry points to carry television and stereo audio services to over 1,000 outlets in more than 175 countries and U.S. territories and to U.S. Navy ships, the announcement said.