Visiona Tecnologia Espacial S.A. and Telebras formally signed a contract to supply the Defense and Strategic Communications Geostationary Satellite (SGDC) system. The BRL 1.3 billion contract provides for the system to be delivered by the end of 2016. The project involves the Ministries of Communications, of Defense, and of Science and Technology.

The satellite will be operated by Telebras on the K (civilian) band and by the Ministry of Defense on the X (military) band. The contract with suppliers also provide for the transfer of technology to Brazilian companies, and that task will be supervised by the Brazilian National Space Agency (AEB). The SGDC system not only will meet the needs of Telebras' National Broadband Program (PNBL) and the strategic communications of the Brazilian Armed Forces, but it is also an opportunity for Brazil to ensure the sovereignty of its strategic communications in both the civilian and military areas, explains Telebras President Caio Bonilha.

The SGDC system will also provide full security for the strategic communications of the government, as well as military communications, because it will be controlled in Brazil at stations that are located in military areas, under the coordination of Telebras and the Ministry of Defense.