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n INTEGRATED DEFENSE SYSTEMS C I H AP R G G N I E O B Service station Company helps make it happen. When fans An artist’s rendering shows an Iridium Meet the Boeing of American football settle in for an NFL communications satellite on orbit above Earth. Boeing Service Company doubled the team that maintains game on DIRECTV, Boeing Service Com- expected life of the Iridium satellites and pany makes sure they don’t miss a play. helped make the network profitable. complex networks for A subsidiary of the Integrated Logistics division within Integrated Defense Systems’ communications, data Support Systems business, Boeing Service said Greg Deiter, director of BSC. “For In- Company and its 1,500 people handle jobs as tegrated Defense Systems, we’re unique. BY BRAD MUDD varied as tasking communications satellites We are totally service-oriented, with mili- to readying payloads for launch into space to tary and government customers as well as hen the White House needs se- maintaining classified government facilities. customers in the commercial sector.” cure communications, Boeing BSC simply works to successfully maintain WService Company is there. When and sustain its customers’ systems. ROOTS FROM THE 1960S warfighters on the ground need to know ex- “We are a very fast, nimble and agile The roots of BSC date back more than 40 act geographic locations, Boeing Service business with a broad range of capabilities,” years as the classified-program business for 18 October 2006 BOEING FRONTIERS n INTEGRATED DEFENSE SYSTEMS Collins Radio Company. It was later part of 25 years. She currently works on a White “I have a lot of retired military people Rockwell Collins before becoming Boeing House specialized communications system. working on this team,” Scott said. “When North American Services Inc. in 1996. Based “One of the things I like most about my you ask them why they do this job, they say in Richardson, Texas, BSC is a wholly- job is that I really like the customer we work they’re proud to help defend the country.” owned subsidiary of Boeing. While program for,” Christopher said. “The customer has Despite having a wide range of programs leadership may work in northern Texas, only been willing to change the system and make covering different disciplines, BSC has fo- 300 employees call that location home. BSC cused on meeting the needs of each individ- has small groups of people supporting pro- ual customer. During a meeting earlier this grams in 21 different locations, mostly work- year, U.S. Air Force. Lt. Col. Mike Harms, ing in customer-owned facilities. “We often count on the GPS Architecture Evolution Plan devel- The core of BSC’s work involves its ex- Boeing to solve other is- opment director, talked about his views on perience maintaining complex commu- BSC’s performance. nications and data networks. The Iridium sues that are not clearly “Boeing regularly finds the best-value constellation of about 70 communications method for meeting our mission and is an satellites is one example of how the busi- within its responsibilities.” exceptionally good steward of our funding,” ness has been successful. —U.S. Air Force. Lt. Col. Mike Harms, Harms said. “We often count on Boeing to Iridium was originally started in the mid- the GPS Architecture Evolution Plan solve other issues that are not clearly within 1990s by another company and was intend- development director, on Boeing Service its responsibilities.” ed to have 200 satellites on orbit handling Company’s capabilities When contracts are put out to bid by a voice and data communications worldwide, potential commercial or government cus- mostly for cellular phones. But the bubble tomer, the determining factor always comes burst for the business and Iridium was sold it more modern. There hasn’t been any stag- down to executing at a reasonable cost. for pennies on the dollar. BSC then doubled nation working on this program.” Deiter said BSC is positioned to give the the expected life of the satellites and helped Don Scott is the site manager for BSC best value now and in the future. the network turn profitable in 2006 by find- at Vandenberg on the GMD program. His “We work really hard at keeping our in- ing U.S. Department of Defense customers group is responsible for joining the kill ve- frastructure costs as low as possible, yet at to use the satellites for streaming informa- hicle with the booster rocket and emplacing the same time making sure we maintain the tion between ground stations. The bottom the missiles in silos the group also has pre- highest levels of skills in our organization,” line: BSC found a way to make it work. pared. When their work is done, the silos Deiter said. “Because of this approach, we “One of the keys is the flexibility in the at Vandenberg in California and Fort Gree- are able to provide the productivity im- organization—being able to go into a new ly in Alaska are handed over to the warf- provement some customers are looking for city and set up an operational capability in ighter. While the pace of the program is ag- at two-thirds of the cost. a fast period of time, sometimes in a matter gressive and frequent travel to Alaska can “That’s what Boeing Service Company of days,” said Gary Grogan, director of BSC become hectic, Scott said his team is dedi- is all about.” n Special Programs. “Most other companies cated to performing. [email protected] would have a tough time doing that.” BSC also supports rocket launches at Cape Canaveral, Fla., and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., and plays a role in the Ground-based Midcourse Defense pro- gram. Several contracts are classified and cannot be discussed publicly. FITTING INTO BIG PICTURE Several long-time BSC employees have been affiliated with the same program for many years, sometimes decades. The busi- ness is still executing on contracts signed 30 or 40 years ago when the business was originally formed. “BSC employees can easily see how they fit into the big picture, especially with some of our long-term programs,” Deiter said. “Those who work on classified communica- tions programs know they play a direct role in protecting national security. It’s a small group of people, but they’re very proud of the work we do. Our people feel like they own the division they work in.” Software Engineer Jean Christopher has worked on secure communications From a control room in Leesburg, Va., Boeing Service Company employees track the loca- programs for Rockwell and now Boeing for tion of Iridium communications satellites and manage the health of the system. BOEING FRONTIERS October 2006 19.

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