U.S. DoD Awards GIG-BE Contracts

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) selected Science Applications International Corporation's (SAIC's) to build its Global Information Grid - Bandwidth Expansion (GIG-BE) system.
GIG-BE is designed to enhance the Defense Department's network infrastructure to operate at 10 Gbps in support of voice, data, video, and transport services among more than 100 key locations worldwide. Analysts estimated the cost of the project in the hundreds of millions of dollars.


SAIC has awarded a number of subcontracts under the project: Ciena for optical transport systems; Sprint/Sycamore for optical digital cross connect equipment; Juniper Networks for IP routers; and Qwest Government Services/Cisco Systems for multi-service provisioning platforms. Ciena confirmed that it will supply its CoreStream optical transport and switching platform for deployment in DISA's GIG-BE optical IP terrestrial network. Juniper Networks also confirmed that it has been awarded a multi-year contract for its M- and T- series routing platforms. Deployment is scheduled to commence in early 2004.


DISA is a combat support agency responsible for planning, engineering, acquiring, fielding, and supporting global net-centric solutions and operating the Global Information Grid. http://www.disa.mil/pao/press/