The U.S. Army has awarded a $121 million contract to ITT (News - Alert) Exelis to provide mission support to wideband satellite operations centers and management sites around the world.

Exelis will continue to support global network and computer systems for critical military satellite communications as a key provider of C4ISR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) and technical services for defense and government agencies.

The cost-plus-fixed-fee contract also calls for operations and maintenance, life-cycle engineering, on-site technical assistance, equipment installation, depot-level repair, logistics, cyber security, and training and sustainment, the company stated in a press release.

“We are very pleased to be selected to continue our SATCOM services for some of our nation’s most important defense and space exploration communications systems,” said Ken Hunzeker, president of the Mission Systems division of ITT Exelis in a company press release. “Our global workforce has strong experience and significant expertise in mission-critical communications support and related services.”

Awarded by the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and the Army Forces Strategic Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., the Wideband Satellite Communications (SATCOM) Operations and Technical Support (WSOTS) contract, includes the base year and six, one-year option periods.

This work will be performed in multiple locations, including the U.S., Germany, Japan and Australia, by the Exelis WSOTS program management office based in Colorado Springs. For U.S. government facilities, vehicles, equipment, ranges, communication networks and information systems, the Mission Systems division of Exelis is a global leader in providing service, support and logistics.

Recently, the company integrated and performed the initial power-up of the Global Positioning System III (GPS III) Non-Flight Satellite Testbed (GNST) Navigation Payload Element (NPE), or full-size payload prototype.

The company boasts 21,000 people and generated revenue worth $5.9 billion in 2010. The GNST NPE system is scheduled for its first launch in 2014. The next generation of GPS III satellites will deliver significant improvements compared with current GPS space vehicles.