CONTRACTS
AeroflexHas won a five-year, $40.5-million contract with the US Marine Corps to supply Ground Radio Maintenance Automatic Test Systems (GRMATS). Aeroflex will supply its newly developed test platform, the 7200 Configurable Automated Test Set (CATS). This commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) platform tests software-defined radios including military tactical radios. The test platform will be adopted for testing new digital and legacy radio systems.
Communications & Power Industries, Inc. (CPI)The Malibu Division has been awarded multiple contracts totaling more than $3 million by L-3 Communications Systems West for low-rate initial production of advanced tactical-commondata- link (TCDL) antenna terminals to support intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) applications. CPI expects to receive full-rate production contracts at a later date. Under these initial contracts, which are expected to be completed this year, the Malibu Division will provide tactical and portable TCDL antennas operating in the Kuband, X-band, and dual X-band/Ku-band frequencies. The ground-based data terminals are used in ISR applications to communicate full-duplex video, forward-looking-infrared (FLIR) imaging information, radar information, and other data between ground-control stations and US military unmanned-aerial-vehicle (UAV) platforms.
RFaxisHas announced that its RF Front-end Integrated Circuits (RFeICs) and embedded antennas will be integrated into Helicomm's family of ZigBee and other wireless-networking modules.
Rohde & SchwarzHas been awarded a contract by Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP) for the purchase of 800 R&S SMB100N analog signal generators over a five-year period. The signal generators will replace existing instruments throughout the Navy. The R&S SMB100N is based on the company's commercially available R&S SMB100A signalgenerator family, which includes models with measurement ranges from 9 kHz to 6 GHz.
FRESH STARTS
California RF LLCIs a new company based in Lake Forest, CA that offers RF and microwave coaxial connectors, adapters, attenuators, cable assemblies, antennas, and related components. Murray Pasternack, Founder and past CEO of Pasternack Enterprises, is an engineering and marketing consultant for the company. The majority of products in the firm's 3000-plus products catalog are available for immediate shipment from stock. California RF is in the process of establishing a network of sales representatives and local distributors throughout North America.
AT4 wirelessIs using its new site in Taiwan to offer testing services for mobile devices as well as sales and support of its complete range of test systems in the Asia-Pacific region. AT4 wireless, Inc. (Taiwan) will serve the Asia-Pacific region with a state-of-the-art testing laboratory and a local sales and support team for the test equipment developed by the company. The testing laboratory will initially offer GSM/GPRS/EDGE/ WCDMA and HSPA conformance GCF and PTCRB testing as well as debugging and pre-testing services. In addition, AT4 wireless, Inc. (Taiwan) is becoming the first laboratory in Asia to offer Long Term Evolution (LTE) testing services.
TriQuint SemiconductorHas signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Huawei to supply driver amplifiers and related products for new optical transport systems. As a strategic partner, TriQuint will work closely with Huawei to develop higher-speed and wider-bandwidth network solutions with lower power consumption for operators worldwide. In addition to the MOU, the product-development roadmaps of TriQuint and Huawei will be aligned to enhance the competitiveness of their products.
Alvarion Ltd.Has opened an office in Taipei to support operator customers and strategic partners and address the increasing demand for fourth-generation (4G) services. The Taipei office includes WiMAX product development, a collaboration center, and customer support and sales.
UPM RaflatacHas a new web site dedicated to the world of radio-frequency-identification (RFID) business and operations. The site, www.upmrfid.com, offers visitors information about recent and current success stories as well as information on how companies worldwide are benefiting from RFID solutions.
Raytheon Co.Has entered into an agreement to acquire BBN Technologies, a privately held company in research and development and provider of critical solutions for national defense and security missions. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2009. It is not expected to materially impact revenue or earnings per share for the fourth quarter of 2009 and is expected to be accretive in 2010. Following this acquisition, BBN Technologies will become part of Raytheon Network Centric Systems (NCS).
MIKOH Corp. Ltd.Will be taking a leading role in the RFID Security Alliance. That alliance is the de-facto authoritative organization regarding the subject of security as it applies to the implementation of RFID systems. With worldwide presence and membership that stretches across hundreds of organizations in 29 countries throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, the alliance represents the interests of the RFID industry. It also provides the latest in policy development, RFID news, and industry trends.
RF Micro Devices, Inc.Has launched a new online store, which is directly accessible via RFMD's home page at www.rfmd. com. It is available immediately for the ordering of samples, evaluation boards, prototypes, and volume production.
DragonWave, Inc.Has announced that IBW has deployed the Horizon Compact to provide native Ethernet backhaul for its WiMAX business services in Costa Rica. Additionally, IBW plans to leverage the DragonWave solution for last-mile customer access as it introduces higher-speed services across the Central American country. IBW's network is the first IEEE 802.16e mobile WiMAX deployment in Costa Rica.