General Dynamics C4 Systems has been awarded an $18 million contract
by the National Security Agency to design and develop a combined
mobile telephone and personal digital assistant.
The secure PDA phone will provide voice and data communications,
including e-mail, web access and file viewing. The award is part
of the secure mobile environment program, which calls for a single
device for government users requiring “Type I” security
that also provides wireless access to the government’s secure
internet protocol router Network (SIPRNet).
The PDA phone will operate via existing commercial cellular networks
and will be compatible with wireless protocols such as the global
system for mobile communications and code division multiple access,
the company said. The device will interface with the Defense Department’s
public key infrastructure using the government’s standard
common access card. Delivery of the first secure PDA phone is expected
in the second quarter of 2007.