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To: djane who wrote (5897)	7/21/1999 3:33:00 PM
From: djane	Respond to of 29987

F-16 Phones Home With Iridium; Lockheed Martin Tests Commercial System for Advanced Communications Wednesday July 21, 1:02 pm Eastern Time Company Press Release SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems FORT WORTH, Texas, July 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems (LMTAS) and AlliedSignal, Inc. (NYSE: ALD - news) have entered into a cooperative agreement to demonstrate two-way satellite communication on a tactical fighter using the commercial Iridium system, a first for both Iridium and for any USAF fighter aircraft. A LMTAS leased F-16 will be outfitted with the AlliedSignal AIRSAT 1, which is off-the-shelf equipment that provides Iridium SATCOM communications services for commercial aviation applications. The system will be integrated into the F-16 to provide the pilot with two-way voice and data connectivity to any operating base, command element, or intelligence source located anywhere in the world. LMTAS has been a leader in developing capabilities to provide Real-Time Intelligence to the Cockpit (RTIC) since the late 1980s when a pioneering project called Fastball was first conceived. Since Project Fastball, LMTAS has continued to advance the state-of-the-art in RTIC technologies. One example is Project Sure Strike -- an initiative originated by COMAIRSOUTH in 1995. Under Project Sure Strike the F-16 SPO directed LMTAS to perform a Class II modification to 38 Block 40 F-16s of the 31st TFW, Aviano AB, Italy. This capability was used to support close air support (CAS) targeting in Bosnia by permitting a ground forward air controller (FAC) to digitally transmit an identified, accurately-located target via the Improved Data Modem (IDM) to an airborne Fast FAC in an F-16 Block 40 aircraft. Sure Strike is a fielded example of providing real-time intelligence support to the fighter aircraft. It also was an important force in the recent Kosovo conflict. According to Chris Mengis, the LMTAS chief engineer of this effort, ''This project is not about proving the utility of RTIC to the fighter pilot. We are already believers in RTIC and we understand the value of real-time intelligence to the tactical fighter pilot. The goal of this project is to demonstrate the capability to deliver intelligence products to the fighter pilot in near-real-time from sources located virtually anywhere in the world in a very affordable way. To date, our communications links have been limited to line-of-sight operations, so the addition of an inexpensive commercial satellite communication link has the potential to add a tremendous leap in capability.'' This project is the first step in preparing the F-16 to interoperate with the future network centric environment described by the JCS Joint Vision 2010. Lessons learned in this effort will also be of great value to the LM Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) team. Commercial communications are very likely to serve a role in the C4I architecture of the future. The Iridium telecommunications system is a space-based, wireless personal communications network developed by Motorola for system owner and operator, Iridium LLC. The individual spacecraft are interconnected via crosslink antennas that allow satellites to communicate among themselves without the use of ground stations to provide continuous global telephone service. The system will provide users with instantaneous global telephone services of all types, including voice, data, fax and paging. The Iridium constellation was activated and began providing service Nov. 1, 1998. Under contract to Motorola, Commercial Space Systems, an operating unit of Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space, builds the satellite bus used by Iridium LLC. The launch campaign carried more than 80 spacecraft into low-Earth-orbit over an 18 month period, using three different boosters launched from three continents. Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT - news) currently has sold over 3,900 F-16s to international customers in 19 countries. In 1999 alone, orders have been placed for over 130 F-16s, with another 80 expected to be under contract by the end of the year for the United Arab Emirates. The most recent selections of the F-16 over the F-15 in both Israel and Greece will ensure a smooth transition between F-16 production and the Joint Strike Fighter. Projects like the Iridium demonstration are part of the F-16's success -- relentless pursuit of advanced applications that can be integrated into a platform designed for growth -- but at a price that is affordable for forces around the world. The use of Iridium or other commercial systems potentially provides international customers a quick, low-cost solution to OTH communications, making the F-16 a real 21st century, information-rich fighter. AIRSAT 1 is a registered trademark of AlliedSignal, Inc. Iridium is a registered trademark and service mark of Iridium LLC. For more information on the F-16 or other Lockheed Martin tactical programs, go to the website at www.thefighterenterprise.com. SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems More Quotes and News: AlliedSignal Inc (NYSE:ALD - news) Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE:LMT - news) Related News Categories: aerospace/defense, telecom Help Copyright © 1999 PRNewswire. All rights reserved.

To: djane who wrote (5897)	7/21/1999 3:34:00 PM
From: djane	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 29987

Iridium North America Announces Critical Systems are Y2k Ready Wednesday July 21, 1:21 pm Eastern Time Company Press Release TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 21, 1999--Ensuring reliable communications for mission-critical operations, Iridium North America is pleased to announce that crucial components of the Iridium satellite communications system under its control have been analyzed, upgraded and determined to be ready for the date changeover to the new millenium. ''For companies in areas where Y2K readiness is questionable, Iridium North America offers a system that will keep workers in touch,'' said Jim Walz, president, Iridium North America. ''By having a communications infrastructure that is ready for the date changeover on December 31, companies will have one less system to worry about. Reliable communication isn't an option, it's essential.'' A terrestrial or normal wireless call requires countless points of contact to ensure connection. Any failure at one of these points could prohibit a traditional wireless call from occurring. Alternatively, by using the Iridium system, a call follows a shorter path to reach its destination. A satellite call over the Iridium system touches only the handsets, the gateways and the satellites. These points of contact were designed over the last 10 years to work in conjunction with each other and have substantially similar components creating redundancy in the system. Iridium North America has successfully completed its Y2K upgrades and readiness testing of its critical business components. Motorola's Satellite Communications Group is the provider of the ground station infrastructure and worked closely with Iridium North America to address Y2K issues. Motorola has indicated that the ground infrastructure components it has provided are Y2K ready. Iridium North America's business systems and gateway facilities have also been evaluated and have been determined to be ''Y2K Ready.'' Iridium North America has also obtained representations from Iridium LLC, its satellite system contractor and gateway business systems vendor, which provides satellite functions, and the provisioning and billing systems for Iridium North America, that these systems are also ready. Additionally, Iridium North America has obtained representations from the manufacturers (Motorola, Inc. and Kyocera Corporation) of the hand-held equipment used to access the Iridium Satellite System that these units are ready. (See Iridium LLC web site (http://www.iridium.com), Motorola web site (http://www.mot.com) and Kyocera web site (http://www.kyocera.com) for their Y2K ready definitions and status information). The term ''Year 2000 Ready'' means that the Iridium North America ground facilities and critical business functions to support Iridium satellite handset to handset communications made via the Iridium Satellite System, using Motorola, Inc. or Kyocera Corp. satellite equipment designed to operate with the Iridium Satellite System, will continue to operate as designed before, during and after January 1, 2000. This statement is a Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure subject to and as defined in the Federal ''Year 2000 Information and Readiness Disclosure Act,'' Pub. L. No. 105-271 (1998). This statement of readiness applies to the business and operational systems in Iridium North America's control. It does not apply to third party business or operating systems, software or hardware, even if supplied by Iridium North America. It does not cover any systems or portions of systems not controlled by Iridium North America. Some statements herein contain are republications of Year 2000 statements of third parties and (1) are not made by Iridium North America, (2) are based upon information supplied by third parties, and (3) have not been independently verified by Iridium North America. Any statements made on third-party web sites have not been independently verified by Iridium North America. Iridium North America is the sole owner and operator of Iridium services in North America. The Iridium System will combine the worldwide reach of 66 low-earth-orbit satellites with additional access to multiple wireless systems and standards. The company is actively working with distribution partners to provide customers service that will permit any type of telephone transmission-voice, paging, data and fax to reach its destination virtually anywhere on Earth, at any time. The Iridium portfolio will facilitate communications for the traveling professional, residents of rural or underdeveloped areas, disaster relief teams and others. Iridium North America is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona and will service the United States, Canada, Bermuda and Puerto Rico. Iridium North America is backed by three telecommunication industry leaders who are at the forefront in integrating communication services: Motorola, Inc., Sprint Corporation and Iridium Canada, Inc. For additional information regarding the Iridium System, please visit the Web site at (http://www.Iridium.com) or call 1-888-Iridium (474-3486). Iridium World Communications (NASDAQ:IRIDF - news) is the public investment vehicle of Iridium LLC. Iridium and the Iridium logo are registered trademarks and service marks of Iridium LLC. Contact: Karla Williams Marketing Communications Iridium North America 602/752-1102 More Quotes and News: IRIDF - news Related News Categories: aerospace/defense, computers, telecom Help Copyright © 1999 Business Wire. All rights reserved.

To: djane who wrote (5897)	7/21/1999 3:47:00 PM
From: djane	Respond to of 29987

China Unicom To Get Railway's Land Lines After Merger (7/20/99) China has approved a plan to merge the Railway Communications Group with China Unicom, the July 19 Beijing Qingnian Bao (Beijing Youth Daily) reported. The announcement, which will add a nationwide network of land lines to China Unicom's wireless heavy networks, will raise the profile of the struggling number two telecom firm ahead of a likely October listing on the NASDAQ stock exchange. A Ministry of Information Industry official who reported the news said all of Railway Communications' assets will be injected into China Unicom, according to the newspaper. By far the biggest prize for China Unicom is the Railway Communications' 120,000-kilometer landline network, which is second only to China Telecom, the country's largest telecom provider. Currently, Railway Communications has nearly RMB 10 billion (US$1.21 billion) in assets, the newspaper reported. Home \| Economic News \| Industry News \| About ChinaOnline Membership Registration \| Products & Services \| Calendar of Events Contact Us \| Statistics \| Reference Materials © ChinaOnline 1999. ____________________________________________________ China's Cell Phones To Get Extra Digit (7/20/99) Due to hyper growth in the mobile phone market, starting July 22 all digital cell phone numbers in China will be required to add an extra digit, the July 19 Beijing Wanbao (Beijing Evening News) reported. The increase will bring to 11 the number of digits to be dialed when placing a digital phone call in China. Since 1987, the number of China's mobile phone subscribers has increased rapidly. By the end of 1998, the number of subscribers reached nearly 25 million, and the figure is expected to reach 50 million by 2000, the newspaper said. China Telecom and China Unicom, the two largest telecommunications providers, have invested significant time and money to ensure a smooth transition. China Unicom alone has invested RMB 150 million (US$18.12 million) in its transition efforts, the newspaper reported. Home \| Economic News \| Industry News \| About ChinaOnline Membership Registration \| Products & Services \| Calendar of Events Contact Us \| Statistics \| Reference Materials © ChinaOnline 1999.