Arrowhead Announces Industry’s First X-Band Managed Services

Signs Strategic Agreement for Commercial X-Band Satellite Capacity with XTAR LLC

FAIRFAX, VA - December 5, 2008

Arrowhead Global Solutions, the government services division of CapRock Communications, announced today that it is launching the industry’s first managed network services based on commercial X-band satellites.  The announcement is part of a strategic initiative to provide the next generation of advanced satellite communications services for the military and intelligence community.  Arrowhead is making significant investments in X-band teleport infrastructure and satellite capacity, including signing a multi-year, multi-transponder agreement with XTAR LLC, headquartered in Rockville, MD. 

Defense and government missions increasingly require greater amounts of satellite bandwidth to support in-theater communications for intelligence gathering and tactical deployments.  Satisfying the growing appetite for bandwidth has recently proven difficult due to the shrinking supply of Ku- and C-band capacity across the commercial satellite industry.   Arrowhead’s managed services are based on a new generation of commercial X-band satellites, owned and operated by XTAR.  The new Arrowhead X-band services not only add much needed capacity for defense and intelligence communications, but also offer the government specific frequency at much more affordable commercial prices.

The new X-band managed network services will offer more than just basic satellite bandwidth.  Arrowhead’s complete connectivity solutions will include a variety of remote site equipment packages in fixed and rapid deployment configurations, field services, teleport services and terrestrial interconnects to public, private and government network gateways.  The service will provide coverage over key regions including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Southwest Asia. 

To develop the new X-Band service, Arrowhead has entered into a strategic agreement with XTAR for multiple transponders on its XTAR-EUR and XTAR-LANT satellites.  Both satellites provide the benefit of being fully compatible with all Department of Defense (DoD) and NATO X-band SATCOM equipment, including current and legacy platforms.  

“With our new commercial X-band services, customers will for the first time be able to benefit from the higher power, faster data rates, and greater expansion opportunities afforded by commercial X-band satellites -- all at prices comparable to commercial Ku- and C-band capacity.” said Arrowhead President Tom Eaton.   “Military and counter terrorism requirements for satellite bandwidth are continuing to grow at a rapid pace,” Eaton continued.  “Arrowhead has partnered with XTAR to take the lead in offering next generation government satellite communications by making significant investments in commercial X-band capacity and infrastructure.  We are putting the network assets in place now, so we can be ready to support the missions of our military and intelligence clients as soon as they are needed.”

The first master earth station is currently in development at a teleport in Europe and will be online and available for service early in the first quarter of 2009.  Arrowhead’s new end-to-end commercial X-band satellite services will be made available through multiple contract vehicles including the company’s GSA Schedule (GS 35F-5497H) and through the DISN Satellite Transmission Services-Global (DSTS-G) contract, for which Arrowhead has been a prime contractor since 2001.

“Given the tight market for C- and Ku-band, X-band is the logical choice for bandwidth-hungry military users,” said XTAR Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Denis Curtin.  “We are pleased to support Arrowhead with the roll out and implementation of its new managed services and believe our two well-positioned payloads and their capabilities will be an essential component for delivering effective and reliable communications services to U.S. and Allied warfighters in these critical geographic regions.”

Arrowhead has set a strategic vision to become the US government’s most trusted provider of advanced communications solutions and managed services.  The launch of Arrowhead’s X-band services represents the first in a series of planned offerings tailor made to the unique requirements of government and military applications.  To realize this vision, Arrowhead is leveraging not only its nearly 20 years of experience developing government solutions, but also the unique engineering and support capabilities for remote and harsh environments of its parent company CapRock Communications.  Today the company’s assets include a self-owned and operated infrastructure of four international teleports, two 24 x 7 network operations centers, service on more than 45 satellites, and over 650 employees deployed around the globe.

About Arrowhead Global Solutions by CapRock

As the government services division of CapRock Communications, Arrowhead Global Solutions supplies integrated, secure communications anytime, anywhere to government operations, first responders and warfighters.  Arrowhead subject-matter experts have a deep understanding of the industry, the technology and the products that support mission-critical applications. Presently the company supports more than thirty government agency customers and thousands of associated end-users in over 60 countries. Today the company’s assets include a self-owned and operated infrastructure of four international teleports, two 24 x 7 network operations centers, service on more than 45 satellites, and over 650 employees deployed around the globe. For more information, visit www.arrowhead.com.  

About XTAR, LLC

XTAR, LLC is a privately owned and operated company providing X-band services in support of both U.S. and Allied government users. The XTAR system’s high-powered steerable beams provide much-needed X-band capacity and flexibility to military and security forces in theaters of operation. The high-powered global, fixed and steerable beams on XTAR’s two satellite payloads provide essential, flexible, real-time X-band capacity with coverage anywhere from Denver east to Singapore. . The company is a joint venture between Loral Space & Communications (Nasdaq: LORL), which owns 56 percent, and HISDESAT, which owns 44 percent.  For more information, visit www.xtarllc.com or call 1.240.599.2820.

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