Senate Bill sb2522
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Florida Senate - 2004 (NP) SM 2522
By Senator Jones
13-1998-04 See HB
1 Senate Memorial No. ____
2 A memorial to the Congress of the United
3 States, urging the United States Department of
4 Defense to award the contract for the creation,
5 development, and implementation of the Mobile
6 User Objective System, known as MUOS, to the
7 project team from the State of Florida led by
8 the Raytheon Corporation in partnership with
9 Honeywell Space Systems.
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11 WHEREAS, one of the most important components of an
12 effective and efficient military, whether in periods of war or
13 peace, is its communications system, and
14 WHEREAS, because the military superiority of the United
15 States is based in large part on the use of technologically
16 advanced weaponry and weapons systems, it is of the utmost
17 importance that the United States military utilize an equally
18 advanced communications system, and
19 WHEREAS, the communications system currently being used
20 by the servicemen and servicewomen of the United States Armed
21 Forces provides limited connectivity and will fall below
22 useful performance standards by 2009, and
23 WHEREAS, the Mobile User Objective System, known as
24 MUOS, is a massive and dynamic communications network being
25 developed for the safety and security of the United States
26 military, and
27 WHEREAS, MUOS, the United States Navy's next-generation
28 satellite communication system, solves the limitation problems
29 of the current system by providing a replacement which will
30 enable worldwide ground communications among all branches of
31 the United States military by 2009, and
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Florida Senate - 2004 (NP) SM 2522
13-1998-04 See HB
1 WHEREAS, with the MUOS system, American military
2 personnel will have reliable radio communications capabilities
3 from the air, ground, or sea, whether they are fighting in
4 dense jungle terrain or in urban war zones, and
5 WHEREAS, more importantly, because of its effectiveness
6 and efficiency, the MUOS communications system will save the
7 lives of men and women serving in the United States Armed
8 Forces, and
9 WHEREAS, the United States Navy is scheduled to award
10 the $6.2 billion contract for the MUOS system in the first
11 quarter of 2004, and
12 WHEREAS, with its proposal to secure the MUOS system
13 contract being led by the Raytheon Corporation's St.
14 Petersburg Division in partnership with Honeywell Space
15 Systems in Clearwater, the State of Florida is currently
16 competing for the contract against California's
17 Lockheed-Martin, and
18 WHEREAS, under Florida's proposal, Raytheon would serve
19 as the prime contractor, responsible for overall system
20 design, integration, and communications software, and
21 Honeywell would develop the satellite's computer, which would
22 provide control of the payload that transmits signals among
23 aircraft, ships, military ground stations, military vehicles,
24 and military personnel, and
25 WHEREAS, the Raytheon/Honeywell Florida team has the
26 expertise and commitment to develop the technology, talent,
27 and resources needed to land this Tier I system project, and
28 Raytheon and Honeywell have already invested heavily in the
29 technology needed to develop such a timely and reliable
30 communications system, and
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Florida Senate - 2004 (NP) SM 2522
13-1998-04 See HB
1 WHEREAS, the MUOS contract would create an estimated
2 1,000 high-technology jobs along the Interstate-4 corridor,
3 paying an average salary of $65,000 per year, with staffing
4 beginning in mid-2004 and building to full strength in 2005,
5 and
6 WHEREAS, the high-wage project work would be spread
7 throughout Clearwater, Tampa, Orlando, and the Kennedy Space
8 Center, with labor income generated by the MUOS project
9 averaging $65 million per year by the end of 2005, and
10 WHEREAS, the MUOS contract is scheduled to be completed
11 in 2013 after the full constellation of satellites and ground
12 systems are in operation, and
13 WHEREAS, in keeping with Florida's long and proud
14 history in space integration and launch operations, securing
15 the MUOS contract would open the door for an influx of
16 aerospace technology work in the state, thus elevating the
17 stature of Florida's technology base, and
18 WHEREAS, MUOS would be a catalyst to increase
19 engineering and high-tech job opportunities in Florida,
20 attracting companies serving both the space and defense
21 industry, and
22 WHEREAS, the initiation of the MUOS project would
23 stimulate business, engineering, and computer-related talents
24 within Florida's universities and would generate the required
25 specialized competencies among our graduates who are seeking
26 high-technology careers, and
27 WHEREAS, MUOS would establish Florida as a premier
28 academic, scientific, and technology leader in the nation, and
29 WHEREAS, state university officials are eager to
30 partner in this venture which would capitalize on the
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Florida Senate - 2004 (NP) SM 2522
13-1998-04 See HB
1 considerable intellectual resources within our state
2 university system, and
3 WHEREAS, by mobilizing the resources within its
4 institutions of higher education through internships, Florida
5 would cultivate a workforce that is focused on high-technology
6 and produce a steady stream of professionals who are prepared
7 to bring innovative advancements to the space research and
8 development industry, and
9 WHEREAS, it is imperative that the State of Florida
10 invest in and leverage its intellectual assets in order to
11 diversify its economy so that it no longer relies on
12 substantial exploitation of its physical and natural assets,
13 and
14 WHEREAS, the award of the MUOS contract to Raytheon
15 would shift Florida's economic paradigm, freeing it from
16 reliance on the tourism industry and enabling the state to
17 cultivate high-paying jobs and stimulate the quality of
18 education and research within the State University System, and
19 WHEREAS, the State of Florida is committed to assisting
20 the Florida MUOS Team in technology development, is committed
21 to recruiting engineers to support the MUOS project and
22 retaining trained engineers and scientists within the state,
23 and recognizes the need to support and enhance high-technology
24 research in Florida's universities, NOW, THEREFORE,
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26 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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28 That the Senate of the State of Florida urges the
29 United States Department of Defense to award the contract for
30 the creation, development, and implementation of the Mobile
31 User Objective System, known as MUOS, to the project team from
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Florida Senate - 2004 (NP) SM 2522
13-1998-04 See HB
1 the State of Florida led by the Raytheon Corporation in
2 partnership with Honeywell Space Systems.
3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
4 dispatched to the President of the United States, to the
5 President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the
6 United States House of Representatives, to the United States
7 Secretary of Defense, and to each member of the Florida
8 delegation to the United States Congress.
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