ViaSat and EM Solutions – COTM Confidence

ViaSat Inc. has successfully demo’d full-mesh satellite communications at Ka-band between an Australian Army deployable 1.0-metre Compact Transmit Receive Suite (CTRS) terminal located at the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) and a 48-cm communication-on-the-move(COTM) terminal located at BAE Systems Australia using a ViaSat LinkWayS2(tm) MF-TDMA satellite modem.
 This demo further shows the ability of the LinkWayS2 modem to simultaneously support satellite communications with fixed site, at-the-halt, and on-the-move terminals within a single tactical LinkWay® network. The full-duplex mesh connection streamed high-definition video simultaneously in both directions between remote sites while the mobile satcom antenna was exercised on a multi-axis, full motion platform using the steerable Ka-band spot beam on the Optus C1 satellite. The LinkWayS2 master reference terminal for the demonstration originated from a fixed terminal with a DVB-S overlay sourced from another Ka transponder on Optus C1. The LinkWay full-mesh communication system has been a satellite networking workhorse for U.S. defense over many years and with the addition of this new COTM capability, will increase its ability to provide network-centric operations, particularly over the Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) constellation. The COTM antenna was designed and developed as a concept technology demonstrator by EM Solutions Pty Limited based in Brisbane, Australia, under contract to DSTO and has been successfully tested on an Australian Bushmaster Personnel Mobility Vehicle (PMV).

Source: www.satnews.com

ViaSat Completes Testing of (ISR) Satcom System

ViaSat Inc., the maker of innovative satellite and other digital communication products that enable fast, secure, and efficient communications to any location, recently announced the completion of its operational testing of an airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) satcom system that is providing transmission of four Mbps through a high-speed return link off the aircraft. ViaSat (News - Alert) used its ArcLight satellite system to conduct test during live missions on a U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) C-130 aircraft operating in Afghanistan.

USSOCOM is continuing to fly daily missions using the new system. A simple modem has been replaced on the aircraft, which was already equipped with a previous generation ArcLight modem and ViaSat VR-12 11.5-inch Ku-band antenna. With the use of same antenna, the link achieved data rates of 4 Mbps, transmitting full motion video from the aircraft to a hub also located in Afghanistan. The new modem installed on the aircraft has operated at up to 10 Mbps at Ka-band using the Ka-band version of the VR-12 antenna. However, live mission flights typically operate at 2.5 Mbps air to ground in order to match video encoders already on the aircraft.
“The KuSS system with the new ArcLight modem far exceeded our expectations and sets a new standard for airborne satcom, especially for those platforms that can accommodate only very small antennas in the 12-inch class,” said Jim Herren of USSOCOM, in a press release. “We are flying live missions at the maximum capability of our video equipment and delivering very high quality 720 x 480 standard definition (near HD) full motion video from the aircraft.”
“Besides the obvious advantage of the higher data rates, the ease of modifying the more than 200 aircraft already equipped with ArcLight is a major advantage,” said Larry Taylor, director of business development at ViaSat who was also present during the testing. “The new modem retains the full functionality of the ArcLight system and adds a new mode that provides much higher data rates. That compatibility also enables customers to use our worldwide Yonder network, as well as roam among various government-specific ArcLight networks.”