ITT Exelis Gnomad is available in portable and portable configurations. Satellite terminal Gnomad can transmit data at speeds up to two Mbps
Modern armies rely on communications that operate in the High Frequency (HF), Very High Frequency (VHF) and Microwave Frequency (VHF) ranges. Ultra High Frequency (UHF)) for the transmission of voice and data traffic between units and echelons. Mobile satellite communications offer an exponential increase in the amount of traffic that can be handled in today's battlefield and the range over which that traffic can be sent and received
HF communications, typically using the 3-30 megahertz (MHz) range of the electromagnetic spectrum, provide over-the-horizon communications and are ubiquitous in military forces around the world. Still, HF has its drawbacks. They use the ionosphere to reflect transmitted radio signals back to Earth. This provides impressive ranges, but at the same time, HF can be vulnerable to weather and solar activity. VHF, occupying the range of 30 - 300 MHz, can transmit high levels of information and voice traffic and have good immunity to atmospheric and electromagnetic interference, but unlike HF, they can provide communication only within the line of sight, that is, they can be blocked by elevations. Microwaves cover the range from 300 MHz to 3 GHz and, like VHF, provide a line-of-sight communication range; they also require small antennas to work on them. The latter feature reduces the physical parameters of transceiver stations, although communications in this range can seriously suffer from attenuation caused by the presence of water droplets in the atmosphere. They absorb radio waves and thus reduce signal strength. Satellite communications (SS) usually use the X-band to receive data from the Earth in the 7, 9 - 8, 4 GHz waveband and the 7, 25 - 7, 75 GHz waveband for transmission to the Earth, along with the Ku-band (12 - 18 GHz) and Ka-band (26.5 - 40 GHz). It is worth noting that some military satellite communication terminals also use the relatively low-frequency C-band (0.5 - 1 GHz).
The advantages provided by satellite communications include its long range due to the reflection of waves from the antenna of the spacecraft and the large amount of information that it can process. Increasingly, telecom equipment providers are putting satellite communications into the hands of the military at a tactical level, with terminals that they can activate in minutes and systems that are installed in vehicles and provide satellite communications on the move. The field of military satellite communications for the ground forces includes everything from large, strategic-level fixed and transportable antennas and terminals that can be used to connect deployed headquarters to the national command, all the way down to the small handheld and mobile terminals mentioned above. This article explores portable and mobile satellite systems, with larger strategic terminals being addressed in future articles.
DRS Defense Solutions
Antenna with diameters of 1, 2 and 1, 8 meters MFAST (Multi-band Flyaway Auto-acquisition Satellite Terminal) from DRS Defense Solutions can be assembled by one person in 15 minutes. Once installed, the satellite connection is provided with the push of one button. The entire set is shipped in three standard aviation shipping boxes. Larger satellite terminals are supplied by DRS as a trailer or vehicle mounted 2.4m antenna available in the C, X, Ku and / or Ka bands. Those users who need CC on the move can choose the Ku-38V Low Profle COTM (Continuous On-Te-Move) antenna from DRS Technologies. The high-capacity Ku-38V antenna is designed to deliver continuous voice, data and video traffic in a small and lightweight enclosure, while low power consumption helps reduce the physical burden on vehicles transporting the equipment. X-band users can choose a "related" unit, the X-38V Low Profle COTM antenna. A Ku-band COTM satellite antenna is added to the Ku-38V antenna. Like its sibling, it offers high-bandwidth voice, data and video, although it is available on demand and in an X-band configuration with DRS's X-Band Satellite XOTM.
South African company MicroVision Satellite Systems supplies military satellite systems for soldiers, such as this handheld MicroVSAT antenna
Telecomsys
Telecomsys offers two notable satellite terminals, Swiflink DVM-90 and Swiflink DVM-100. The former has a 0.9 Ku-band antenna as part of a broadband lightweight and compact satellite terminal. The DVM-90 is shipped in two standard shipping crates and is deployed in 20 minutes. During operation, the terminal has a throughput from 64 Kbps to 4.2 Mbps.
Israeli products
It will be a little surprising to many readers that Israel is very successful in mobile military satellite communications as well as in traditional military communications. Commtact manufactures Most (Mobile Satellite Terminal) which offers full duplex communication in the Ku and Ka bands and includes an advanced stabilization and polarization mechanism that allows Most to track its satellite while the vehicle is moving. Elbit's catalog includes terminals MSR-3000, MSR-PRO and MSR-R. The MSR-3000 Handheld Terminal for X, Ku and Ka Bands provides a tactical CC, the entire kit weighs only 12 kg. Meanwhile, vehicles are equipped with a mobile terminal Elbit MSR-2000 Ku-band. The MSR-2000 can be used with ruggedized Elbit MSR-R and MSR-PRO broadband routers and Elsat 2000 or Elsat 2100 low-profile antennas, diameters of 0.52 m and 0.9 m, respectively.
Another Israeli military communications specialist, IAI Elta, offers full duplex Ku-band satellite communications in the form of the EL / K-1891 mobile satellite terminal, which offers broadband data links for terrestrial, maritime and air applications. Elta complements its EL / K-1891 terminal with several antennas up to one meter in diameter, a compact transceiver and a lightweight, high-performance 100-watt amplifier. The proprietary portable satellite communications complex includes the EL / K-1895 Manpack Tactical satellite terminal, which processes voice, data traffic and compressed video. The user can choose to place the terminal next to him or to control it remotely, either through a laptop or a handheld device. Another useful feature of the EL / K-1895 is that it is pre-programmed to search for available Ku-band communications and will self-connect to them after starting work.
L3 Communications
While the EL / K-1895 offers Ku-band communications, L3 Communications' AN / USC-66 KaSAT satellite communications system operates in the Ka-band, providing the US Army with long-distance communications using the Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) constellation. WGS is a two-way program of the US and Australian Departments of Defense that will significantly increase the satellite bandwidth available to each country's military. This grouping may also offer similar opportunities for Canada, which has signed up as a WGS partner. The WGS satellite constellation complements the existing Defense Satellite Communication System-III (DSCS-III) satellite constellation of 14 satellites, the last of which was launched in 2003. WGS will replace DSCS-III satellites as they are decommissioned. In terms of performance, WGS satellites offer instant, switchable bandwidth at 4.875 GHz, which is ten times the capabilities of the existing DSCS-III system. The first device of the WGS system under the designation "USA-195" has a bandwidth of 2.5 Gbit / s. This already exceeds the capacity of all DSCS-III satellites combined. In total, the WGS network will include seven satellites, of which four are already operational.
L3 Communications has created the AN / USC-66 Rapidly Deployable and Dismountable System. It is transported in four 40 kg containers and can be mounted on vehicles. Mobile platforms can use the Terminal On-The-Move IP Data System mobile satellite terminal from L3 Communications, which provides broadband mobile satellite communications based on the Internet Protocol (IP). Another terminal of this company NCW-1200 (Network Centric Waveform - network-centric waveforms) with a diameter of 1.2 meters provides satellite communications in the Ku-band. It consists of an unmodulated frequency band distributor, support equipment and an antenna pedestal orientation device - each component fits into its own container. The NCW-1200 terminal only needs an external power supply and a laptop to operate.
General Dynamics provides the military with a line of mobile satellite terminals as its Warrior family. Pictured is the Warrior Model 240 system mounted on a trailer.
An American soldier tunes in a Harris AN / PRC-117 Programmable Network Radio to establish satellite communications. The current trend is to provide every soldier with satellite communications capabilities through their personal radio stations
The TRM-1000 from L3 Communications combines the MPM-10000 IP modem with an antenna to transmit and receive traffic via WGS satellites (see above). The family of broadband satellite communication terminals covers all satellite communication frequency bands in a package that is compatible with the Sofware Communication Architecture 2.2 Core Framework (JTRS) standard and X-band WGS / XTAR satellite communication.
The Rockwell Collins CCT200 Swe-Dish satellite antenna, according to the customer's wishes, is available in the X, Ku and Ka bands and has a data transfer rate of 50 Mbps
Rockwell Collins CCT120 Swe-Dish CommuniCase Technology satellite terminal takes a modular approach to connect specific components, allowing users to customize their system based on their specific needs.
Viasat company
US troops also use Viasat's AN / PSC-14 Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) terminal. It uses a broadband international satellite communications system (better known as Inmarsat), all hardware certified under the NSA Type-1 encryption standard. With the AN / PSC-14 terminal, data rates up to 422 Kbps are achievable; it can be in either a knapsack or a transportable configuration.
ITT Exelis
Similarly, the US Army uses satellite terminals from ITT Exelis, including the Gnomad family (see first photo), which share a common base kit with an interchangeable antenna depending on whether the terminal is used in a portable version or in a portable configuration. The company says that some of the key differentiators of the Gnomad family compared to other available satellite communication devices are its small size, weight, power and cooling parameters. The Gnomad family offers data rates up to two Mbps and uses the commercial Ku-band satellite bandwidth, while the low profile antenna used in the transportable version is subtle and does not interfere with rooftop equipment such as remotely controlled weapon stations. The Gnomad family of terminals provide full-duplex transmission of voice, data and video, and for security purposes they can be combined with the protection of communication channels Taclane KG-175 IP network Type-1 and the encryption device KIV-19 Type-1 of the National Security Agency, ensuring secure data transmission up to 50 Mbps. Additionally, the user can connect the Gnomad to the AN / VRC-92 single-channel radio, the AN / VRC-104 and AN / VRC-110 tactical portable transceivers. The Gnomad system was sold to the US Army's 2nd and 4th Infantry Divisions.
Harris Company
Harris is well known not only for tactical radios, but also as a manufacturer of satellite communications equipment such as the C / X / Ku / Ka AN / USC-65 terminal used by the US Marine Corps. The AN / USC-65 terminal is being replaced by Harris' Modular Advanced Quad-Band Antenna (MAQA), which covers the same bandwidth as the AN / USC-65 using a 3.8m antenna. It will be capable of interoperability through the US satellite constellation WGS or the British Skynet-5, as well as through standard commercial satellite frequency bands. Harris also offers the Seeker family of 3-band satellite dishes in dish sizes 1, 3 and 0.95 meters. With a data transmission capacity of around five Mbps, the Seeker family was recently certified for use with the WGS satellite communications system. Purchases of these terminals were expected by the US Special Operations Command and several European NATO member countries.
Thales is one of the leading providers of portable military satellite communications systems. The company's portfolio includes a Talisman tactical satellite communications kit
Rockwell Collins Company
Rockwell Collins also has an established pedigree in the tactical radio world and a large catalog of satellite communications products. MiSAT handheld terminals offer X- and Ku-band communications in a package weighing less than 18 kg, getting ready to work in less than five minutes, even for those with no experience in satellite communications at all. The Swe-Dish CommuniCase Technology (CCT) terminal has similar innovative solutions. It is based on a modular concept, that is, specific components can be combined to create a customized solution. Modules include antenna, transceiver, processor, software, power supply, wiring and accessories. When a new module is added, the software captures this and adapts the entire system accordingly. The intuitive graphical interface also reduces training time, and all modules can fit in one container. The MiSAT and CCT systems have been acquired by special forces and harrow ministries around the world, as well as by the US Navy and the National Guard.
Thales has been selected by the French defense agency to meet urgent operational requirements for its Venus mobile satellite commander, which provides X-band satellite communications on the move.
General Dynamics
One cannot fail to mention among the American manufacturers of mobile satellite communication systems General Dynamics with its Warrior family. Small portable terminal Warrior SMT (Small Man-portable Terminal) of this company provides high-speed data transmission in an open and encrypted mode in the X and Ka bands at speeds of 18 Mbps when receiving and 4 Mbps when transferring data, preparation for work is 15 minutes. The Warrior SMT terminal is connected to the Warrior Model-96, which processes the same frequency ranges and data rates (the same can be said about the Warrior Model-120 terminal with the 1st, 2nd antenna); it is carried in three shipping boxes. The terminal with 1, 8th antenna Warrior Model-180, in addition to the C-band, provides communication in the X- and Ka-bands. General Dynamics also offers larger trailers such as the Model-240 (2, 8th antenna) and the AN / TSC-185 terminal, which provide satellite communications during a stop.
Systems from WZL have already been supplied to the Polish army for its contingent in Afghanistan, the largest system is the 1.8 PPTS-1.8 terminal.
Tales Company
European companies provide a significant share of satellite terminals for tactical terrestrial applications. Tales' offerings focus on the System-21 data transmission system (also formerly known in the export version as Modem-21E). Lifetime modifications to the Modem-21E included the addition of waveforms to improve its immunity to jamming, as well as work to increase the data transfer rate to 32 Mb / s. System-21 provides the functionality of all software and hardware versions of the former Modem-21E, as well as new features such as "Net-IP", which manages the quality of service of the network in accordance with the requirements of the military. System-21 uses IP architecture and a special mode, which means that if the terminal loses communication with the satellite (for example, if the antenna is obstructed by trees or tall buildings), the terminal "remembers" these connections and automatically resets it when the satellite returns to the line of sight.
Tales also offers satellite solutions for vehicles in the Satmove family. They are "machine independent" and are available in either a traditional parabolic design or a phased array antenna. The latter system is particularly useful for ground vehicles moving over uneven and bumpy terrain, when a conventional antenna can lose communication with the satellite. Since the phased array antenna is electronically coordinated, it is much easier to maintain its direction to the satellite. In addition, Tales is responsible for the Talisman family of portable terminals, which are loved by special forces around the world. Most Tales terminals are available on the X, Ku and Ka bands.
Although military satellite communications have traditionally used the X-band, this frequency range has become increasingly saturated over time. In this regard, there is a migration of the military to higher Ka-band frequencies.
Selex Elsag
The compact Talon Lite satellite terminal from Selex Elsag provides data transmission in the X-band or Ku-band, it consists of an antenna with a diameter of one meter and two reinforced aluminum transport containers weighing 20-30 kg. The Talon Lite architecture includes an outdoor ODU (Outdoor Unit) that connects remotely to an Indoor Unit used to control the system via a 5m fiber optic cable, although the user can extend it up to 1000m if desired. The ODU consists of an antenna, GPS receiver, compass and inclinometer to provide automatic satellite acquisition based on positioning information in the ODU memory. The IDU consists of a CDM570L-IP satellite modem and a monitoring and tracking computer.
When it comes to technological trends in mobile military satellite communication terminals on the move, there is a quiet revolution in bandwidth. Military satellite communications currently operate in the X-band of the spectrum. The X-band is immune to jamming, but the relative narrowness of this segment, available for military communications (500 MHz), means that it is hugely oversaturated. This has been confirmed by the insatiable appetite of the United States and its allies for satellite frequencies during military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and, more recently, Libya.
The Ku-band is comparatively wider, but it is also quite "full" and is heavily used by the commercial sector. Ka-band offers the necessary additional frequency range, providing one GHz for military communications and the same for commercial users. The technology, taken up by the designers of military Ka-band satellite terminals, is now able to offer equipment with small antennas at a competitive price that can use this part of the spectrum. The migration to the Ka-band and recent military operations have shown that the high demand for satellite frequencies is so huge that this band will not last long.
