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ViaSat equips Turkish F-16s

August 17, 2006 (by Lieven Dewitte) - ViaSat Inc. announced Aug. 16 that it will supply an additional 194 units of the company's high-capacity, jam-resistant, digital data and voice communications systems to the Turkish Air Force.

Turkey plans to install the Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Low Volume Terminals (LVT), on its fleet of F-16 Vipers. The terminal is part of the Link 16 system that ensures communications between the fighters as well as with ground command.

The order will be placed under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The terms of the transaction are undisclosed, but the distribution falls under a $39.5 million contract awarded to ViaSat on July 6 by the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego. The contract combines purchases for the United States, Portugal, Germany and Turkey.

In addition to the quantity announced as part of the MIDS Lot 7 award (for trials and testing), the total expected order from Turkey is 203 LVT(6) Low Volume Terminals.

Delivery of the units is expected to begin in October of this year and continue through the fourth quarter of ViaSat's 2010 fiscal year.

"The support and infrastructure we will be establishing in Turkey provides a solid foundation for serving other allies in Eastern Europe and Asia," said Paul Baca, ViaSat's vice president for tactical data links.

Carlsbad-based ViaSat produces satellite and other communications products.