Mitek Systems Inc, based in San Diego, California has received US government certification of its 850T Tempest facsimile unit which it has been developing with Ricoh Co over the past year. The new product, now in production at Mitek, is a synchronous and asynchronous facsimile transceiver that communicates over multiplexed digital network facilities. It also communicates over voice-only telephone lines through government-installed STU security devices and other government cryptographic equipment, commonly implemented at those extravagant embassies and consulates around the world. Ricoh exclusively markets the product in the US as the R2112T: it is a Tempest-modified version of the Ricoh R-2100 fax machine with additional software and hardware features aimed at the government user, and is designed either as a stand-alone text and graphics communications device or as a companion to the STU II/III in order to provide both voice and text-and-graphics capabilities. And, armed with the new radiation-shielded machine, Mitek has been able to win a five-year contract worth $13m to provide the 1,500 facsimile terminals to the 7th Signal Command of the US Army; ships began last month.
