GD wins NSA smartphone contract

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- U.S. firm General Dynamics said Thursday it has won an NSA contract for its Sect'ra Edge smartphone.

"The National Security Agency has awarded a contract to General Dynamics C4 Systems enabling military and government users to order the Sect'ra Edge secure, wireless phone/personal digital assistant -- PDA -- or 'smartphone,'” the company said in a statement.

"The Sect'ra Edge smartphone will be available to U.S. Department of Defense, Homeland Security and other government personnel with initial deliveries expected in fourth-quarter 2007. The Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity -- ID/IQ -- contract has a potential value of $300 million over five years. General Dynamics C4 Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics," the statement said.

“The Sect'ra Edge smartphone effectively replaces multiple devices and is an elegant convergence of cutting-edge communications and information assurance technologies packaged in a rugged, user-friendly design,” said John Cole, vice president of Information Assurance at General Dynamics C4 Systems. “Military and government users will have secure network connectivity whenever they need it, even on-the-move.”

"Developed under the NSA Secure Mobile Environment/Portable Electronic Device -- SME PED -- program, the Sect'ra Edge smartphone will provide wireless access to the U.S. Government’s Secret Internet Protocol Router Network -- SIPRNet -- and Non-classified Internet Protocol Router Network -- NIPRNet -- enabling users to email, web-browse and, with one touch, switch between classified and unclassified data communications," the company said.

"Similar in form and function to a commercial cell phone/PDA, the Sect'ra Edge smartphone will operate on existing Global System for Mobile Communications -- GSM -- Code Division Multiple Access -- CDMA -- and wireless fidelity -- Wi-Fi -- commercial cellular networks," General Dynamics said. "The smartphone will also interface with the Department of Defense Public Key Infrastructure using the government’s standard Common Access Card," it said.

General Dynamics said its C4 Systems business unit was "a leading integrator of secure communication and information systems and technology."