[SatNews] Afghanistan-based troops will soon have access to additional welfare communications services...

NewSat Limited (ASX: NWT) has won a new contract to provide MILSATCOM services to U.S. Military troops in Afghanistan. The contract is worth $4.4 million of additional revenue per annum, commencing in June 2011. The contract will see NewSat providing welfare communications for military personnel in over 15 locations throughout Afghanistan. The contract also has the option for NewSat to extend for a further year. This latest contract takes NewSat’s year-to-date contract wins to more than $10 million in new revenue, in addition to NewSat’s current contract base and high retention rate. For reference, NewSat’s revenue in the year to 30 June 2010 was $25 million. Recent contract wins contributing to the cumulative total include...

• $1 million for 30 high-grade contracts for oil, mining and gas exploration sites in remote regions of Australia – Atlas Iron, Crescent Gold, Apache Energy and Esso Highlands PNG (a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil)
• $2 million contract with Nixon Communications providing communication services to four major construction camps along the new LNG pipeline in Queensland; $800,000 for multiple contracts providing communications for Australian and international resource projects
• $2.4 million contract providing communication services to the US Military troops in Southern Afghanistan
• $600,000 for multiple contracts providing communications for significant resource projects in Australia and LNG in PNG

In commenting on the most recent contract win, Adrian Ballintine, NewSat’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “The U.S. military requires high-performance, reliable and secure communications and, as a long term service provider, our expertise and relationships in this market will serve us well for our first geostationary communications satellite, Jabiru-1, which will focus on high value customers in the military, defence and government markets as well as other high value enterprise segments such as resources. Jabiru-1 continues to attract customers from around the globe and term sheets for space on the satellite are numerous and substantial. It is anticipated the Company will make further detailed announcements about Jabiru in April, a little later than anticipated, but not unexpected in the light of the Japanese tragedy and its effect on global markets We expect that the Jabiru announcements will be exciting and company changing."