Prague, Jan 14 (CTK) – The Czech military will start using the Wideband Global SATCOM system (WGS), which was originally designed and developed for the U.S. armed forces, this year, Jana Zechmeisterova, from the Defence Ministry’s press section, has told CTK.
At the end of 2016, the Defence Ministry signed a contract with a firm that will supply the ground terminals necessary for the system to the military.
Zechmeisterova said the satellite communication system would be used during military exercises and foreign operations.
At present, the military buys these services from commercial providers.
The transfer to the system of several satellites that is operated as the U.S. Air Force network is to secure connection even with the places where information and communication technologies of firm infrastructure services are not available.
“This is supposed to be used during exercises both on the territory of the Czech Republic and abroad and for foreign operations. The connection to the system should be completed during this year,” Zechmeisterova said.
The military needs ground terminals to connect to the WGS.
The Defence Ministry has agreed withe the INTV firm, representing the DataPath International AB in the Czech Republic, on the supply.
The ministry informed the government about the contract in October, saying its products meet the parametres required for the WGS programme.
The ministry will pay 82.6 million crowns for the terminals.
