LINKOPING, Sweden, Oct. 14, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- The central NATO organization has purchased Sectra's (Other OTC:SSBBF) eavesdrop-secure GSM telephone through Kongsberg Defence Communications AS. The order is for the NATO-approved NSK 200 phone that is based on the Sectra Tiger(R) platform.
Kongsberg Defence Communications AS sells and markets the NSK 200 in the NATO market.
"Naturally, this is a strategically significant order that we have received from NATO," said Torunn OEvreas, Vice President of Kongsberg Defence Communications AS. "The Dutch and Czech defense forces also placed recent orders for the NSK 200 and the interest in eavesdrop-secure mobile communications is large within NATO. We anticipate more orders from NATO countries in the future."
The NSK 200 is the only GSM phone on the market that is approved for communications up to the advanced security level "NATO Secret."
"Cooperation with Kongsberg has resulted in several orders from the NATO market," said Tommy Waszkiewicz, President of Sectra Communications AB. "Since the terrorist attack in New York, we have noticed increased interest in security solutions. The NATO approval of the NSK 200 and the co-operation with Kongsberg gives us a favorable position in the market."
Sectra and Kongsberg will exhibit the NSK 200 at the TechNet Europe defense exhibition in Budapest, in Hungary, on October 17-18, 2002. NSK 200 was developed by Sectra in close cooperation with the Norwegian Defense. The NSK 200 and all phones based on the Sectra Tiger(R) platform guarantee secure communications all the way from sender to recipient for voice and data transmission over public GSM networks. Encryption and GSM technology is integrated in a way that makes Tiger(R) the most secure platform for mobile communications on the market. Sectra's secure phones are now in use by the defense forces and government authorities in Sweden, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and within the central NATO organization.
For further information, please contact:
Jan-Olof Bruer, President and CEO Sectra AB +46 13-23 52 09 job@sectra.se Tommy Waszkiewicz, President Sectra Communications AB +46 13-23 52 47 tw@sectra.se, or Torunn OEvreas, Vice President Kongsberg Defence Communications AS +47 66 84 24 00 torunn.oevreaas@kdefence.com
Read more on: http://www.sectra.com and http://www.kdefence.com
Sectra's operations
Since the mid-1980s, Sectra has successfully conducted development and sales of high-technology IT and telecom products. Today, the business includes products in medical systems, secure communication systems and wireless information systems.
Activities within eavesdrop-secure communication systems are carried out in the wholly-owned subsidiary Sectra Communications AB.
Sectra AB is located in the Mjardevi Science Park in Linkoping and grew out of research conducted at the University of Linkoping. Operations are carried out in six countries, with 250 employees. Sales in fiscal year 2001/02 amounted to SEK 426 M. Sectra has been listed on the O-List of the Stockholm Exchange since March 1999.
Kongsberg Defence Communications' operations Kongsberg Defence Communications AS has conducted high-technology development and sales of tactical communication systems and encryption systems to the defense forces and government authorities for decades. The company's products and systems are used in more than 30 countries worldwide.
Kongsberg Defence Communications is located 20 kilometers outside Oslo, Norway. The company has 200 employees and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the largest defense group in Norway, Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace AS.
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