L-3 receives $35 million contract for Talon

Published 21 December 2006

The growth of the mobile work-force and Internet-based communication has increased the need for securing sensitive data and communications; L-3 offers a solution the government finds useful

The Camden, New Jersey-based Communication Systems-East (L-3 CS-East) division of New York-based-L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL) has been awarded a five-year, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract by the National Security Agency (NSA) to supply the Talon KOV-26 in-line network encryptor to the federal government and the U.S. military. The not-to-exceed contract value is $35 million. Talon, certified by the NSA for Type 1 communications, is a PCMCIA card which provides secure remote access at broadband data rates in a small package which requires no external power source. Talon offers a high-speed alternative to the Remote Access Security Program (RASP), which is now regarded as obsolescent.

Talon protects user data up to Top Secret /Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) and is compatible with the High Assurance IP Encryptor Interoperability Specification (HAIPE IS) protocol. Talon enables high-speed access to classified networks, or to other remote Talon users via the Internet through use of COTS USB communication adapters.

The initial release of Talon supports 10/100 Ethernet, but will be software upgradeable to support 802.11 b/g wireless, V.90 dial-up modem, and RS-232 serial interfaces. This upgrade, planned for the first quarter of 2007, will add support for the Future Narrowband Digital Terminal/Secure Communications Interoperability Protocol (FNBDT/SCIP) voice and data protocol.

In addition to high assurance COMSEC, L-3 CS-East designs, develops, produces, and integrates communications systems and support equipment for space, ground, air, and naval operations.

-read more in this news release