Paradigm Signs New Main Operations Building Contract

STEVENAGE, UK, Aug. 16, 2005/Satnews Daily/ — Paradigm Services said on Monday it has successfully completed the signing of a contract with its Skynet 5 partner, Serco, for the provision of a new operations building on the Paradigm Services Hawthorn site.

The contract will cover the design and build of the state-of-the-art operations building, which is due for completion in February 2006.

The new building at Paradigm's Main Operations Centre site at Hawthorn, Wiltshire, will accommodate Paradigm Services and its subcontracted staff, together with DCSA (Defence Communications and Services Agency) SAT IPT (SATCOM Acquisition Team) staff managing the Skynet 5 PFI contract. The Hawthorn site, which houses Paradigm’s Network and Spacecraft Operations Centre, is located close to the DCSA Global Operations and Security Control Centre (GOSCC) at Corsham.

The SAT IPT will co-locate 25 of its team alongside Paradigm’s existing staff at the new Hawthorn building to further integrate the team.

Under the Skynet 5 PFI contract, system upgrades have been developed to enable remote control and monitoring of the Skynet Ground Stations located in Hampshire and Wiltshire. These upgrades have already enabled Network Operations functions to be transferred to the Main Operations Centre at Hawthorn.

Paradirm said the new two-story building will be in operation for the remaining period of the Skynet 5 contract and beyond, and will bring the total employed on site to 180. There are currently 50 people working on site.

Aidan Joy, Director of Network Operations said the contract award and go ahead for the new Operations support building marks another significant investment by Paradigm Services in the Skynet 5 program. “The new building will provide Paradigm with a flagship facility close to the DCSA GOSCC and will allow collocation of Paradigm Operations personnel with the SAT IPT. The Skynet 5 program has already delivered many positive changes to the delivery of secure satellite communication services and this new building will allow us to further integrate the service delivery elements,” he said. 

Paradigm Secure Communications has £2.5bn contract with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in October 2003 for the provision of military satellite communications services up to 2018.

Recent Stories:

Paradigm Signs Export Contract for Milsatcom Services with Canada

Paradigm Reaches Milestone on UK’s Ministry of Defense PFI Deal – SkyNet 5

Paradigm Delivers First Secure Satellite Link for NATO

Paradigm Wins Contract to Provide Military Satellite Communications to NATO