Communications On The Move (COTM) allows for warfighters to receive timely communications anywhere, and at any time. COTM is critical to winning battles, protecting forces and supporting overall military operations. It helps warfighters achieve instant access to information in a mobile environment on the ground, at sea or in the air.

Traditionally, COTM systems were deployed in larger vehicles; however, significant advancements in satellite communications, such as those by iDirect Government Technologies (iGT), have brought the technology into the hands of the warfighter. New satellite routers that are half the size of current products, enable smaller, lighter weight and lower power portable terminals, providing COTM connectivity to warfighters on-foot, as well as in vehicles, marine vessels and aircraft.

This new development in portable technology delivers several critical advantages. Soldiers can now receive battlefield imagery that identifies potential threats, transmit situational video to analysts, receive command and control information and even transmit X-ray imagery of a wounded soldier to doctors who can interpret the injury and provide guidance on proper treatment in a matter of seconds from anywhere in the world.

With COTM, soldiers can deploy and leverage a wireless broadband network while in a moving ground vehicle, in a deep water fleet, on a military aircraft and even on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Portable and powerful systems fit inside a soldier’s rucksack, are engineered to withstand harsher environments and can be activated at a moment’s notice.

COTM helps the military assess the situation at hand by providing voice, video and data communication between those in transit and others on the ground. This provides military agencies and individual soldiers with situational analysis of current events and status updates, giving them real-time information about potential hazards, the impact of an event and any additional response needed. This on-the-scene perspective helps the military send in extra resources as needed, and most importantly, where needed. With access to timely and pertinent information, COTM also helps them to determine the best course of action in their endeavors.

A unified COTM system meets the most demanding mobility and security requirements for our troops, enabling real-time secure and reliable voice, video and data transmission while on the move. By having constant connectivity in transit, the military has a more comprehensive picture of the current situation including who is performing what task and who is available to help with needed support.

The ability to coordinate multiple military operations simultaneously, deploying voice, video and data communications, can improve military effectiveness and can even mean the difference between life and death. COTM systems are easy for troops to deploy and use while providing many benefits.

Benefits Of COTM
There are several advantages to COTM.

1. Rapid and pervasive reach: Provides fast, effective and secure voice, video, data and SIPR/NIPR communications anywhere and anytime. The faster soldiers receive updated and accurate information, the more effective they are in their missions.

2. Situational awareness: Information from live video feeds, data communications and voice provide real-time information for immediate situational awareness. Video gives a bird’s eye view of the situation at hand, enabling an appropriate response such as providing more troops, supplies or other support.

3. Command and communications coordination: Provides incident command and communications coordination for major events and critical incidents.

4. Internet Protocol (IP) network extension: Satellite-based system extends global IP networks, offering a highly reliable and extremely scalable satellite network that can be deployed on multiple satellites such as in C-, X-, Ku- and Ka-bands, as enabled by iGT, and the extended frequency ranges on Wideband Global SATCOM from a central hub.

5. Reliability and quality: Satellite IP platform ensures multiple users can share the network without sacrificing quality due to traffic and heavy data transfers. COTM systems leverage the bandwidth efficiency and reliability of satellite communications. The ruggedized remote equipment can take the potential abuse required for mobile equipment.

6. Real-time data sharing: Enables Virtual Private Network (VPN) extensions for management and control of aircraft, ship and vehicle operations.

7. Seamless operation: Automatic beam switching and geographical mapping ensure a seamless global operation.

8. Quick installation: By leveraging readily available technologies and standards, setup is fast and easy and does not require extensive training.

9. Security standards: iGT COTM systems are compliant with transmission security utilizing Federal Information Processing Standards Publications (FIPS) 140-2 and IA Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) standards.

TRANSEC
Transmission Security (TRANSEC) is important for mobile satellite networks and allows the Department of Defense to encrypt and obfuscate any SATCOM traffic patterns or remote terminal acquisition activity. Such security technologies thwart malicious hacking and denial of service attacks potentially perpetrated by an adversary. Satellite service providers need to offer strong encryption such as FIPS 140-2 certified encryption.

TRANSEC requires a communications channel appear completely full to an adversary even if little or no actual data is flowing. In combat situations, a small spike in communications traffic can be a critical piece of intelligence. The need to mask any communications activity becomes readily apparent. Fortunately, TRANSEC compliance is relatively straightforward. The National Security Agency (NSA) has outlined the vulnerabilities inherent in an IP-based Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) transmission that must be addressed to provide true TRANSEC. These include the ability to secure TDMA transmission energy, concealing traffic volumes and protecting the traffic source and destination addresses and obfuscating acquisition activity.

Another vital requirement is for remote terminals connected to the network to be able to flawlessly validate authorized users by using X.509. The goal of the X.509 is to present the adversary from being able to gain access to a military network despite having acquired the appropriate transmission equipment.

Keeping Communications Open
On-the-move communications are increasingly necessary for when the military needs to be mobile. Satellite technology utilizing spread-spectrum technology enables secure, cost-effective and reliable IP broadband capabilities anywhere and anytime. A COTM solution provides true mobility with spread-spectrum and high-speed COTM features, enabling military vehicles, ships and aircraft to have broadband connectivity via Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) antennas.

This ability to quickly deploy and manage a network that can easily be scaled without the restrictions of an existing communications infrastructure is essential to military operations. Satellite provides a flexible, reliable and high-capacity service that covers a large area.

TRANSEC and COTM satellite technologies are meeting the need for the military to communicate, share information and provide support for large, mobile groups of personnel anytime and anywhere. Such mission-critical connectivity enhances warfighter situational awareness and helps the military execute missions with a heightened degree of safety and success.

About the author
Karl Fuchs serves as Vice President of Technology for iDirect Government Technologies (iGT); kfuchs@idirectgt.com. iGT is a wholly owned subsidiary of VT iDirect, Inc. that provides IP communications technology that enables constant connectivity via satellite communications for voice, video and data applications in diverse and challenging environments.