Established in 1986, SES is a subsidiary of Singapore Technologies Electronics Ltd, which develops software for the police, defense and mobile industry.
The two companies have agreed to pump in S$200,000 each as the initial investment for the Linux center, said SES general manager Chang Yew Kong.
The investment comprises spending on hardware, manpower and facility, which will be based in Ang Mo Kio on SES premises, said SES assistant general manager Jeremy Foo.
At present, there are three staff manning the center and the headcount is expected to grow to more than 10 in one to two months when the Linux center will be fully operational.
According to a statement, the center will provide Linux consultancy services, training courses, and development and porting of solutions to existing customers in Singapore and other parts of Asia.
These services will focus mainly on servicing the police, military and mobile industry which SES has expertise in, Foo noted.
When asked about the center's revenue expectations, Foo declined to reveal any figures. However, he said that the center has signed a deal with Belgium-based Barcoview, a producer of ruggedized monitors for the military. Foo declined to reveal details on this deal.
Similar Linux centers will also be set up in Hong Kong, Malaysia, China, Taiwan and Australia, Foo said. However, he could not provide specifics on the expansion plans.
Meanwhile, the set-up of the Singapore center will further consolidate SGI's position in attracting businesses in the defense industry.
According to SGI Asia Pacific vice president Jansen Ek, 24 percent of SGI's worldwide revenue last year came from the defense sector.
SGI's customers include the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Boeing, the Singapore Air Force and the Defense, Science and Technology Agency here.
Separately, SES this year won a US$56 million contract with the Fire Services Bureau in Hong Kong, and a S$12 million contract with the Singapore Police Force for an automated fingerprint identification system.
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