Vienna, Va.-based Tachyon, a provider of broadband satellite services for large enterprises and government agencies, is offering high-speed Internet access to U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

Tachyon’s transportable broadband satellite units enabled the 11th aviation regiment of the U.S. Army 5th Corps to set up an Internet center that is used by more than 250 soldiers to send and to receive 2 gigabytes of data per day. In addition, the regiment leverages Tachyon broadband Internet access for computers in the Iraqi military theater.

“We were the first unit in Iraq to have an Internet café and it has been up and running since April,” said Master Sergeant Kelly Grafton. “It has been a major morale booster in many ways. A son of one of my soldiers was having surgery and he was able to have an instant means of communicating home to receive up-to-date status reports. Meanwhile, others are even able to shop online for CDs and DVDs.”

Grafton said the Army plans to use Tachyon’s network to provide satellite phone access for commanders, and for non-tactical purposes, using voice-over-IP.

“When it comes to the military in Iraq, all services are mission critical whether they are related directly or indirectly to combat success,” said Mark Gercenstein, Tachyon’s president and CEO.

–Paul Dykewicz

(David Dague, Tachyon, 240/446-5619)