General Dynamics Network Systems, a business unit of the US-based General Dynamics, has been awarded a contract to engineer, procure, install, test and turn over to the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) a telecommunications network for the Qatif gas and oil fields. The work is located at several sites along the Arabian Sea in the Kingdom’s Eastern Province, and is expected to be complete in 2004.
The network's infrastructure will include a fiber optic backbone, a mobile radio network, a telephone system, a local and wide area network using ATM switches, paging systems and other subsystems, equipment and buildings. The contract also includes the installation of video teleconferencing and Oil & Gas Dispatch and Emergency Communications (ODEC), which provides for emergency communications in the event of a fire, pipeline rupture or other emergency.
This award follows four similarly sized contracts with Saudi Aramco to build telecommunications systems at the Shaybah Oil Field, the Haradh Gas Plant, the Hawiyah Gas Plant, and a contract for an offshore fiber optic cable system.
General Dynamics Network Systems has been managing large worldwide telecommunication projects for more than 40 years. Employing over 4,000 technical personnel, the company provides design, integration, installation and support services for wire-line and wireless voice, video and data networks.
Headquartered in Virginia, General Dynamics employs approximately 52,000 people worldwide and had 2001 revenues of $12 billion. The company manufactures land and amphibious combat systems, mission-critical information systems and technologies, shipbuilding and marine systems, and business aviation. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
