Jan 27, 2012, post by Artur Nowak
Calian Technologies Ltd. (TSX:CTY) is pleased to announce that its Systems Engineering Division (SED) has signed two new contracts for the provision of Satellite Ground Systems worth a combined value of $7.6 million.
SED was chosen by Thrane & Thrane of Denmark for the provision and installation of an Inmarsat BGAN RF Ground System for CTTIC in China. In addition, in late Q1 of this fiscal year, SED was selected by the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS) via PWGSC competitive tender to provide and install a Remote Sensing Antenna System in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.
“These contract awards were excellent wins for us,” said Patrick Thera, President of SED. “They further demonstrate our capabilities as a leading supplier of high quality satellite ground systems, both domestically and around the world.”
About Calian
Calian employs over 2300 people with offices and projects that span Canada, U.S. and international markets. The company’s capabilities include the provision of business and technology services to industry and government in the health, operations and maintenance, IT services and training domains as well as the design, manufacturing and maintenance of complex systems to the communications and defence sectors. Our goal is to be the best company to work for, buy from and invest in.
The Business and Technology Services (BTS) Division is headquartered in Ottawa. This division augments customer workforces with flexible short and long-term placements of individuals and teams, provides access to critical recruiting capabilities and delivers outsourcing services for a variety of technical and professional functions. Our strength lies in understanding clients’ needs, recruiting highly qualified personnel who understand and meet those needs, and then effectively managing those personnel within our customers’ framework. Calian’s Systems Engineering Division (SED) plans, designs and implements complex communication systems for many of the world’s space agencies and leading satellite manufacturers and operators. SED also provides contract manufacturing services for both private sector and military customers in North America.
For further information, please visit our website at www.calian.com
Jan 12, 2012, post by Artur Nowak
A new benchmarking study of 19 of the world’s 20 leading economies found that the United Kingdom and the United States lead Group of 20 (G20) countries in their ability to withstand cyber attacks and to deploy the digital infrastructure necessary for a productive and secure economy. The index also found that several major economies–Argentina, Indonesia, Russia and Saudi Arabia–do not have cybersecurity plans and do not appear to be developing them. The index is at www.cyberhub.com .
The Cyber Power Index, developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit and sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton, measures both the success of digital adoption and cyber security, and the degree to which the economic and regulatory environment in G20 nations promote national cyber power.
The Index allows visitors to compare the cyber power rankings of the G20 countries on a scale of 0-100 with 100 being most favorable. Each country’s ranking is a weighted mean of scores from four categories: Legal and Regulatory Environment; Economic and Social Context; Technology Infrastructure; and Industry Application. Each category features at least four underlying indicators, many of which are composed of sub-indicators. The European Union, the newest member of the G20, was not included in the study.
“The Cyber Power Index identifies those countries that understand what it takes to operate in a digital era…and those that don’t,” said Booz Allen Hamilton Vice Chairman Mike McConnell. “Many define a nation’s cyber power simply like other domains such as land, air or space. While cyber is a domain, a nation’s capabilities must be measured by more than their military might alone. The countries able to master the uses and security requirements of emerging technologies and societal shifts brought on by the cyber revolution will emerge as the cyber powers and the winners of the 21st century.”
Overall, the top five countries exhibiting cyber power, as measured by the index–the UK; the US; Australia; Germany; and Canada–illustrate that developed Western countries are leading the way into the digital era. The top five performers also rate highly across the board, ranking in the top seven in all four categories. The G20′s last member, the EU, was not analyzed.
The leading emerging market countries, Brazil, Russia, India and China (the BRICs), have some room for improvement; out of the 19 economies, they rank 10th, 14th, 17th, and 13th, respectively. There is also a wide discrepancy between the top and the bottom of the index. The UK, the top performer, scores around three times the amount of points on a scale of 0 to 100 as the worst performer, Saudi Arabia. Among other conclusions from the data:
– Cyber power relies on a solid foundation that includes technical skills for security and effective use of the cyber environment, high educational attainment levels, open trade policies, and an innovative business environment. The US has the most supportive economic and social context for fostering cyber power according to the index. This is driven by high tertiary education enrollment, research and development (R&D) investment, and an open trade environment. Asia’s rising influence is also apparent in this category, as China leads the trade indicator, while Japan and South Korea fill the number one and two positions, respectively, in technical skills.
– The gap in cyber capability between the U.S. and other countries is closing. While the U.S. has a broad and deep cyber power base, other nations such as South Korea and Japan are aggressively adopting greater levels of bandwidth and communications stability.
– Big does not always mean powerful. China has a large population and a powerful military. As a result the nation is often considered to be a cyber power. In reality, the Cyber Index found that the country’s true level of cyber power is in reality quite modest. Going forward, other countries are expected to be added to the Index, which could show the power of small countries such as Estonia. In contrast to China, Estonia is relatively tiny and hosts a modest military, yet that country’s well known ability to integrate advanced technology into its society could make a telling comparison.
– Germany’s comprehensive cyber policies are a key to its success. Germany leads the legal and regulatory framework category with a near perfect score (99.3 out of 100), followed by other Western countries that also performed well in the overall index. Germany is one of only five countries (the others being the UK; the US; France; and Japan) to have both a comprehensive national cyber plan and a comprehensive cybersecurity plan.
– Prioritisation of ICT access is higher in the developed world. There is still a clear divide between developed countries and emerging markets as measured by access to internet, mobile phones, and WiFi. The UK, US, and Germany lead Information Communications Technology (ICT) access, while Mexico, Indonesia, India, China, and South Africa have the lowest access scores. An exception is South Korea, which is fifth, despite having strong government policy towards improving access.
– The G20 countries have made limited technological progress within key industries. Australia is the top performer within the industry application category, which measures the ability of different industries (energy, health, transportation, government, and e-commerce) to leverage ICT developments, including security advancements. As an indication of uneven technological development across industries, Australia ranks first in the category overall, but only scores well within the electronic health indicator.
The Cyber Power Index anchors the Cyber Hub, a new platform also developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit and sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton intended to help governments and businesses remain competitive in today’s cyber landscape. The Cyber Hub features a series of research papers and expert points of view examining cyber’s implications for the business community. Much of the content will focus on specific industry verticals: health, finance, transportation, energy, open government, and defense-security.
About Booz Allen Hamilton
Booz Allen Hamilton is a leading provider of strategy and technology consulting services to the US government in defense, intelligence, and civil markets, and to major corporations, institutions, and not-for-profit organizations. Booz Allen is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, employs more than 25,000 people, and had revenue of $5.59bn for the 12 months to March 31st 2011.
To learn more, visit www.boozallen.com . /quotes/zigman/1466656/quotes/nls/bah BAH -0.28%
About the Economist Intelligence Unit
The Economist Intelligence Unit is part of the Economist Group, the leading source of analysis on international business and world affairs. Founded in 1946 as an in-house research unit for The Economist newspaper, we deliver business intelligence, forecasting and advice to over 1.5m decision-makers from the world’s leading companies, financial institutions, governments and universities. Our analysts are known for the rigour, accuracy and consistency of their analysis and forecasts, and their commitment to objectivity, clarity and timeliness.
Jan 11, 2012, post by Artur Nowak
Satellite tracking, fleet management, and automated flight following solutions leader, Blue Sky Network announced that its two dominant aviation products, the D1000 and ACH1000, have been certified for use on Sikorsky S-92(R) helicopters. The newly type-certified equipment provides S-92 helicopter operators with enhanced communication between managers and crew from anywhere in the world, adding safety and tracking capabilities to increase security and efficiency.
Blue Sky Network’s D1000A offers near real-time tracking of aircraft through built-in GPS position reporting combined with an Iridium satellite transceiver and telemetry data link. The ACH1000 communications control head adds voice communication and two-way messaging connectivity between operators and the control center. Managers are also able to visually track aircraft and view take-off, landing and other flight updates using SkyRouter, Blue Sky Network’s secure online web portal.
“This certification is proof of the high quality of our asset management equipment,” said Jon Gilbert, President and CEO of Blue Sky Network. “We are very proud to provide our customers the added value and assurance of another STC. Blue Sky Network will continue to add product certification where needed in order to bring secure tracking and communications to more aircraft worldwide.”
The S-92 helicopter is the most advanced aircraft in Sikorsky’s civil product line, certified to the most stringent safety requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The helicopter’s advanced health and usage monitoring system sets a new level of reliability and enables cutting-edge fleet management services, making it an ideal fit with Blue Sky Network’s tracking and communication solutions.
About Blue Sky Network
Blue Sky Network’s satellite tracking, real time flight tracking and fleet management products serve Aviation, Oil and Gas, Government, Forestry, Mining, and other markets. Founded in 2001, Blue Sky Network ( www.blueskynetwork.com ) is headquartered in La Jolla, California, with customers and authorized distributors worldwide.
