Texas Firm to Operate Early Warning System in Sinai

The U.S. government has granted a contract for $16.5 million to the Systems Inc., of Dallas, Texas, to install, operate and maintain the early warning stations between the Egyptian and Israeli lines in the Sinai desert, according to the State Department.

The company is to be responsible for 150 of the up to 200 civilian American volunteers allowed by Congress to take part in the project which was developed as part of the Israeli-Egyptian second interim accord last September under the aegis of Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger.

According to the State Department, an advance team from the Dallas company is to be in the Sinai Tuesday to begin establishing a base camp and to achieve surveillance capability by Feb. 20–the agreed date for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gidi and Mitle Passes and for Egyptians to enter the passes.

On-the-spot policy guidance and direction to the Systems personnel will come from a government team of 28 persons led by the Sinai field mission director, Nicholas G.W. Thorne. In turn, Thorne will report to C. William Kintos, of the State Department’s policy planning staff who holds the roles of special representative of President Ford for this purpose and as chairman of the Sinai support mission and the Inter-Agency Management Board. The board consists of representatives of nine U.S. departments and agencies and is located in the State Department.

The Systems Inc. was one of six bidders for the project, the Department said. The company, which does an annual business of about $250 million, produces electronic systems for aircraft and other equipment. Its Greenville, Texas aircraft division will manage the program while the H.B. Zachary Co. of San Antonio, Texas, a contractor, will perform the principal construction of the stations.