Israel Aerospace Industries, local firm ink 195 mln USD satellite deal

JERUSALEM, Nov 13, 2012 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) on Tuesday announced it has signed a contract to supply a local provider of satellite communications services the Amos-6 satellite in a deal worth some 195 million U.S. dollars, according to a company statement.

IAI President and CEO Joseph Weiss, and David Pollak, CEO of Spacecom Ltd., signed the deal Monday for the design, production, launching and operation of Amos-6, which is slated to replace he Amos-2 when it ends its service in 2016, the statement said.

Spacecom, headquartered in Ramat Gan and traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, provides sat-link communications services to the civilian market -- in the Middle East, European Union and North America. Coverage has been expanded to fast-growing markets in East Asia and Africa in recent years.

Established in 1993 with the defined goal of marketing IAI's Amos-1, the company has continually upgraded its services with the Amos-2 and 3 satellites, primarily direct-to-home broadcasting ( DTH), satellite Internet, broadband telephony and radio.

IAI said the Amos-6 satellite, scheduled for delivery by August 2015 and designed to serve for at least 16 years, packs substantial enhancements that make it one of the most advanced of its kind in the world, including electric propulsion technology that enables reduced launch weight and costs.

The communication payload includes 45 transponders in three frequency bands: Ku, Ka and S, which would enable Spacecom to expand its services, including direct satellite home Internet services.

In parallel, IAI said it plans to launch Amos-5 into orbit next year.

"Winning the Amos-6 tender over international competitors is of strategic importance to IAI and allows us to continue advancing the line of communication satellites," said IAI CEO Weiss.

In a separate 20-million-dollar deal signed with the Israeli government, Spacecom is committed to providing services via Amos-6 for the duration of the satellite's life.

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