Milsat News and Products of Note

Mobile communications are continuing to surge in growth, driven by two key factors — the need for greater throughput to support ever more demanding multimedia user expectations, and the need to communicate anywhere, anytime. Fiber, for all its benefits, can satisfy only the first requirement. Meeting the second requirement calls for a wireless solution, and satellites, long denigrated by the fiber community, are the only realistic choice for untethered, long-haul, high-capacity communications from anywhere in the world. In particular, Ka-band satellites, operating at frequencies around 30 GHz, offer much greater channel bandwidths and data throughput than existing satellite solutions at lower frequencies, such as X- and Ku-band.

In April 2008, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) empowered a new task force called Task Force Odin (TFO) to significantly improve Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities in Iraq and Afghanistan. The DoD needed its airborne platforms to have a persistent and pervasive ISR capability with sensors and communication systems capable of simultaneously delivering real-time full-motion video (FMV) and 3D images, Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) and Communications Intelligence (COMINT) to both field and command personnel.

Moshe (Chico) Tamir serves as Vice President of Defense and Homeland Security for Gilat. Brigadier General (Res.) Tamir served for 28 years in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and held senior command posts including Brigade and Division Commander. In his role at Gilat, Mr. Tamir is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction of the Company’s international defense and homeland security offerings, delivering network and communication solutions for national security and emergency response organizations worldwide. Mr. Tamir is a graduate of IDF Command and US Army war college, and holds a BA in Middle East Affairs from the University of Haifa, and an MBA from the Interdisciplinary Centre Hertzelia.

Now, more than ever, our military personnel need secure, flexible and affordable voice, video, and data communications solutions that they can count on anytime and anywhere. From command centers around the globe to remote operations in the field; in the wake of a disaster or as part of daily operations; whether sending complex mission plans or critical logistics information — reliable military communications networks are essential to our national security and the safety of the warfighter.

The decision as to which MILSATCOM trade shows, exhibitions, conferences and events to attend each year becomes more and more difficult, given budget and travel restrictions, press of business, and locations. For those who have come to lean upon SMi’s conferences as their source for such events, the 13th annual Global MilSatCom 2011 event, held late last year, was a definite success.

NewSat’s Satellite Seminar was held at NewSat’s South Australian Teleport — the event, which was supported by Defence SA, the Australian government’s leading defence agency, attracted more than 50 defence, government, resources and satellite industry heavyweights, and provided guests with insights and forecasts into the future demand for satellite capacity.

Communication satellites in geosynchronous orbit (GEO), approximately 22,000 miles above the Earth, provide vital communication capabilities to warfighters, providing everyting from Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) to mapping to weather reports to command communications and battlefield analysis/tracking. Today, when a communication satellite fails it usually means the expensive prospect of having to launch a brand new replacement communication satellite is the answer. Many of the satellites, which are obsolete or have failed still have usable antennas, solar arrays and other components that are expected to last much longer than the life of the satellite — currently have no way to re-use them.

The demand for bandwidth continues at exponential rates, driving operators to search for new solutions. Recently, attention has turned to the emerging Ka-band, high-throughput satellite (HTS) market and solutions that utilize multiple spot beams to serve a region or regions of interest. The key advantage of the spot beam approach is increased frequency reuse, enabling a significant increase in the capacity of a given satellite. This, in turn, allows operators to more efficiently use their frequency spectrum allocations.

Looking back on 2011, the advances in speed and throughput of SATCOM signals have resulted in significant breakthroughs for airborne satellite communications. Similar to when battery technology enabled smaller military communications packs in support of the warfighter, technological airborne innovations are adding value to help the military meet its missions for both homeland security and disaster support. Airborne’s achievements include the ability to upload full-motion video while in flight, giving the military a bird’s eye view for intelligence, surveillance and recognizance. Airborne communications can be used for command assignments, target information imagery, and imagery of natural and man-made disasters.

The first AEHF satellite looked like a goner, but the Air Force’s unusual recovery effort pulled it back from the dead. The U.S. soon will begin heavy usage of a first-of-its-kind Air Force spacecraft stationed 22,300 miles above Earth. The Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite will link the President, commanders, and U.S. forces the world over. It’s built to work even in a nuclear war.