EADS Astrium Reports Success of Media Back-Link Trials from HMS Cumberland

PORTSMOUTH, UK, Aug. 25, 2005/Satnews Daily/ — EADS Astrium's Media Back-link Unit, which enables live broadcast-quality television transmissions from ships at sea has been successfully tested on HMS Cumberland at the start of a four-month operational trial.

EADS Astrium said the state-of-the-art Media Back-link Unit enhances the EADS Astrium TOMS (Television Over Military Satellites) system fitted to Royal Navy ships.
Together they enable the Commanding Officer of a vessel to be interviewed live on television from the ship.

The trial on board HMS Cumberland during her deployment to the western Atlantic and Caribbean is being supported by Paradigm Services which is providing additional military satellite capacity.

Paradigm Secure Communications signed a £2.5bn contract with UK’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) in October 2003 for the provision of military satellite communications services up to 2018. The Paradigm team, lead by Paradigm Secure Communications, includes EADS Astrium Ltd, the system designer and provider, and Paradigm Services Ltd for full services delivery.

During HMS Cumberland's tour of duty she will be in a position to respond to calls for assistance during the hurricane season. Ships deployed to the Caribbean and western Atlantic also work in close cooperation with US and other national authorities in the war on drugs, according to EADS Astrium.

The basic TOMS fit provides recreational television and news services for sailors on RN ships around the world, with programming by the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS). Paradigm Services, as part of its Skynet 5 contract, provides secure global satellite communications to the Royal Navy along with the rest of the UK's Armed Forces. TOMS is a simple and cost effective additional service to the EADS Astrium shipborne communications system (SCOT), with over 150 SCOT systems procured by 11 navies worldwide. The TOMS system has also undergone successful trials over existing UK Armed Forces land terminals.

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