Level 3 Receives NATO Contract

Level 3 Communications B.V., an affiliate of Level 3 Communications, Inc.,

today announced that the company has signed a contract with the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) to install and maintain an IP Virtual Private Network (VPN) to be used by the NATO-Russia Council Cooperative Airspace Initiative (NRC CAI). (Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111004/LA77008LOGO) The joint NATO-Russia CAI system was completed in 2009 and the CAI's testing period began to see how well the system worked sharing air traffic information. In December 2011, NRC Foreign Ministers declared the system operational and in 2013, the NRC will have a 24/7 capability to monitor air traffic. More information on CAI and the NRC is available at www.nato-russia-council.info. The aim of this initiative is to enhance airspace transparency between NATO and Russia, identify any suspicious aircraft activities, and provide early warnings through the monitoring of NATO-Russian airspace. As part of this project, the Level 3 network will connect a range of NATO monitoring facilities and enable real-time display and observation of commercial airspace activities. "The Level 3 network will connect the NATO CAI units and hence