Satcom on the Move (SOTM), or satellite communications on the move, is a phrase used in the context of mobile satellite technology, specifically relating to military ground vehicles, Maritime and Airborne platforms. The basic principle behind Satcom On The Move is that a vehicle equipped with a satellite antenna is able to establish communication with a satellite and maintain that communication while the vehicle is moving.
Modern Military Operations often employ commercial satellites to fulfill theater capacity requirements. However, as modern military warfare is highly asymmetric and mobile, military units desire a SATCOM-on-the-move system. Currently, military units procure this capability from SOTM vendors such as INSTER Get SAT, EM Solutions, Alico Systems, Boeing, Gilat Satellite Networks, ND SATCOM , Comtech Mobile, Datapath, ReQuTech , General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies, iDirect, [1] Inmarsat (BGAN), L3, Raytheon, Exelis, Step Electronics Australia or ViaSat. More recently Spectra Group (UK) Ltd has introduced SlingShot - a lightweight unit that converts existing tactical radios to SATCOM frequencies, offering a straightforward and cost-effective way to achieve tactical, secure, satcom on the move for those using UHF and VHF radios Comparison between these systems is difficult due to the differences between the technologies and service offerings. Military procurements might benefit from a common set of system requirements from which to evaluate different systems and product offerings. This article presents a survey of the SOTM market, product offerings, and technologies. It concludes with a summary of system technical requirements and drivers for the operation of MILSATCOM-on-the-Move over commercial satellite systems.
SATCOM on the move (otm) is currently fielded-Ka band-via the WIN-T program. This WIN-T (General Dynamics/BAE developed system) solution is by means of open loop tracking using an Internal Navigation System (INS). A better solution is closed loop tracking using a phased array antenna. Two Israeli companies have such systems. For example, GetSat has many arrays for Ka/Ku bands SATCOM otm. One of the issues with an open loop solution is the point accuracy obtained. Both the Army WIN-T and the Marines need to rethink SATCOM otm solutions. MIL-STD-188-164 provides some guidance.
One of the problems is SATCOM is not that secure. For example, both China and Russia have or will have capability to take out American or European satellites in case of war. HF radios can provide beyond line sight capability. The Marines recognized this; this might have affected their thinking about a mobile command center using SATCOM otm. Note the Marines fielded a static command center which is basically limited by line sight radios. This Marine Corps UOC/COC takes several hours to tear down and setup.
In recent years, the United States military has expressed high levels of interest in Satcom On The Move technology, driven by former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's call for lighter-weight, more mobile ground forces. This has pushed the commercial satellite industry to create communications satellite systems that support this need.
MIL-STD-188 is a series of U.S. military standards relating to telecommunications.
Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) is a high frequency combat-net radio (CNR) used by U.S. and allied military forces. In the CNR network, the SINCGARS’ primary role is voice transmission between surface and airborne command and control assets.
A very-small-aperture terminal (VSAT) is a two-way satellite ground station with a dish antenna that is smaller than 3.8 meters. The majority of VSAT antennas range from 75 cm to 1.2 m. Bit rates, in most cases, range from 4 kbit/s up to 16 Mbit/s. VSATs access satellites in geosynchronous orbit or geostationary orbit to relay data from small remote Earth stations (terminals) to other terminals or master Earth station "hubs".
Skynet is a family of military communications satellites, now operated by Airbus Defence and Space on behalf of the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence (MoD). They provide strategic and tactical communication services to the branches of the British Armed Forces, the British intelligence agencies, some UK government departments and agencies, and to allied governments. Since 2015 when Skynet coverage was extended eastward, and in conjunction with an Anik G1 satellite module over America, Skynet offers near global coverage.
The Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) aimed to replace existing radios in the American military with a single set of software-defined radios that could have new frequencies and modes (“waveforms”) added via upload, instead of requiring multiple radio types in ground vehicles, and using circuit board swaps in order to upgrade. JTRS has seen cost overruns and full program restructurings, along with cancellation of some parts of the program. JTRS is widely seen as one of the DoD's greatest acquisition failures, having spent $6B over 15 years without delivering a radio.
The Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) is a United States Space Force narrowband military communications satellite system that supports a worldwide, multi-service population of users in the ultra high frequency (UHF) band. The system provides increased communications capabilities to newer, smaller terminals while still supporting interoperability with legacy terminals. MUOS is designed to support users who require greater mobility, higher bit rates and improved operational availability. The MUOS was declared fully operational for use in 2019.
Satcom, a portmanteau of satellite communications, was a brand of artificial geo-stationary communications satellites originally developed and operated by RCA American Communications that facilitated wide-area telecommunications by receiving radio signals from Earth, amplifying them, and relaying them back down to terrestrial receivers.
Bowman is the name of the tactical communications system used by the British Armed Forces.
Nera Networks AS was a Norwegian company working in the field of wireless telecommunications using microwave and satellite technology. Nera Networks AS was a subsidiary of Eltek based in Bergen, with offices in 26 countries and more than 1,500 employees. The company was acquired by Ceragon Networks in 2011
The United States Naval Academy (USNA) Small Satellite Program (SSP) was founded in 1999 to actively pursue flight opportunities for miniature satellites designed, constructed, tested, and commanded or controlled by Midshipmen. The Naval Academy's aerospace laboratory facilities are some of the most advanced and extensive in the country. These facilities include structures labs, propulsion and rotor labs, simulation labs, wind tunnels with flow velocities ranging from subsonic to supersonic, computer labs, and the Satellite Ground Station. The SSP provides funds for component purchase and construction, travel in support of testing and integration, coordination with The US Department of Defense or National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) laboratories or with universities for collaborative projects, and guides Midshipmen through the Department of Defense (DoD) Space Experiments Review Board (SERB) flight selection process.
The Wideband Global SATCOM system (WGS) is a high capacity United States Space Force satellite communications system planned for use in partnership by the United States Department of Defense (DoD), Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) and the Australian Department of Defence. The system is composed of the Space Segment satellites, the Terminal Segment users and the Control Segment operators.
Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) is a constellation of communications satellites operated by the United States Space Force. They are used to relay secure communications for the United States Armed Forces, the British Armed Forces, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Netherlands Armed Forces and the Australian Defence Force. The system consists of six satellites in geostationary orbits. The final satellite was launched on 26 March 2020. AEHF is backward compatible with, and replaces, the older Milstar system and will operate at 44 GHz uplink and 20 GHz downlink. The AEHF system is a joint service communications system that provides survivable, global, secure, protected, and jam-resistant communications for high-priority military ground, sea and air assets.
The Military Satellite Communications Directorate is a United States Space Force organization headquartered at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. It is one of several wings and other units that make up the Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC).
An Airborne Network (AN) is the infrastructure owned by the United States Air Force that provides communication transport services through at least one node that is on a platform capable of flight.
The British Armed Forces operates a wide range of communications and information systems. Some of these are specialised military systems, while others are procured off-the-shelf. They fall into three main categories: satellite ground terminals, terrestrial trunk communications systems, and combat net radio systems. Every part of the Army and the uses combat net radio, but only the Royal Corps of Signals and the Royal Air Force operates trunk systems and multi-channel satellite communications.
PM WIN-T is a component of Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications-Tactical in the United States Army. PM WIN-T has been absorbed into PM Tactical Networks as Product Manager for Mission Networks.
Exelis Inc., was a global aerospace, defense, information and services company created in October 2011 as a result of the spinoff of ITT Corporation's defense business into an independent, publicly traded company. The company was headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia, USA and was led by CEO and President David F. Melcher. The Washington Post highlighted Exelis as a top company in the Washington, D.C. region in 2011. It was acquired by the Harris Corporation for $4.75 billion in 2015.
Lincoln Experimental Satellite 3, also known as LES-3, was a communications satellite, the third of nine in the Lincoln Experimental Satellite. Launched by the United States Air Force (USAF) on 21 Dec 1965, it was stranded in a Geostationary Transfer Orbit rather than its planned circular high orbit. Despite this, LES-3 returned good data on communications propagation in the UHF band.