New Satellite Communication System for Dismounted Units

New Satellite Communication System for Dismounted Units

satellite communication

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A new lightweight, multi-frequency, mobile satellite communication terminal was unveiled, designed for dismounted units who are unable to maintain line-of-sight connectivity.

Built from composite materials, the HM500 system developed by Hughes weighs 14 kilograms and is designed for rapid deployment, transportability and the use of condensed power sources.

“If you are trying to communicate thousands of kilometers to commanders and get intelligence information, this allows you to transmit voice, video and data 40,000 kilometers away,” Wayne Marhefka, senior director, business development, Hughes Defense Group told defensesystems.com.

Typical mobile satellite terminals can weigh up to 27 kilograms and need to be vehicle mounted, but marines, special forces or dismounted Army units might be able to operate more effectively in combat with the HM500, Marhefka said.

The system’s software programmable modem allows for data rates from 5 megabits up to 10 or 20 megabits, Marhefka said. It is configured to operate on the JUPITER system, a system Hughes calls the first VSAT platform with System on a Chip (SoC) technology that incorporates the latest DVB-S2X air interface standard. “Depending upon the software, the modem allows you the flexibility for multiple applications and long-term upgradeability as technology evolves,” he added.

By engineering HM500 with commercial and military technology, Hughes hopes to impact the Air Force’s ongoing Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) aimed at improving satellite performance and security.

The service concept is to increase the number of aircraft, drones, routers and fixed ground stations to achieve a greater measure of resiliency by using commercial technology and high-throughput satellites.

Rick Lober, vice president of Hughes Defense Systems, said that the military may lease more satcom bandwidth from commercial suppliers such as Hughes, ViaSat or Intelsat, among others. Using more providers is another path to diversity and greater protection for satellite communications.