Optical transport systems specialist Xtera Communications, Inc. confirms that it has won a $31,220,394 contract from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) to supply equipment for a new undersea cable system that will be deployed “in the Southern Command area of responsibility.” While neither Xtera nor DISA has revealed exactly where the network will be deployed, a May 15, 2014 story in the Miami Herald asserts the submarine network link will connect the U.S. military base in Guantanamo, Cuba, to southern Florida.
Xtera did say the approximately 1500-km submarine cable will enable connectivity to the Defense Information System Network (DISN). An Xtera source says the company fended off seven other companies that bid for the contract, which DISA says has an 18-month base period and five one-year option periods. DISA expects the undersea cable system to be completed by December 2015.
The optical systems vendor will supply a turnkey 100G-optimized submarine systems package, including undersea optical repeaters, its Nu-Wave Optima Submarine Line Terminal Equipment (SLTE), fiber-optic cable, and all marine services.
“We are delighted to be selected by DISA to build this new submarine cable system as a further validation of our offering of high-performance and higher-value turnkey solutions with our next generation repeater,” said Jon Hopper, president and CEO of Xtera. “This new project is a further step forward in the execution of Xtera’s strategy to expand our solution portfolio for the subsea segment with innovative and reliable offerings.”
The award is the first Xtera has received from the U.S. government.
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