WASHINGTON — The U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) has awarded L-3 Communications of New York a contract worth as much as $218 million to operate and sustain the agency’s communication infrastructure, according to a Nov. 24 press release from the company.

The work will be managed by the company’s National Security Solutions (NSS) division and will consist largely of providing network support, security and equipment, the release said.

“This contract expands L-3’s presence in providing essential services and solutions to the Intelligence Community,” Les Rose, president of L-3 NSS, said in the release. “It’s our first major contract with the NGA, and we look forward to partnering closely with them to help achieve their critical mission.”

Mike Gruss covers military space issues, including the U.S. Air Force and Missile Defense Agency, for SpaceNews. He is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.