DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Boeing Demonstrates SATCOM On The Move Between Australia And US

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Boeing Demonstrates SATCOM On The Move Between Australia And US
>Boeing SOTM technology is a leap forward in Ka-band satellite network communication capabilities for the warfighter
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Boeing
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 5, 2012: Boeing [NYSE: BA] has successfully demonstrated its SATCOM on the Move (SOTM) product on a live Ka-band satellite network. The demonstration in May connected three sites in Australia and the United States using integrated voice, video, and data communications over the increased bandwidth available on the latest generation Ka-band satellite mobile terminals. This capability uses the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) system, also developed by Boeing.

During the demonstration, High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (Humvees) fitted with cameras and handheld radios successfully connected to test labs in Australia and the United States, simultaneously combining videoconferencing with military radio and telephones. The integrated SOTM demonstration proved core elements of a seamless, secure and deployable communications system.

This latest SOTM product evolved from combat-proven technologies used by the U.S. Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

"This demonstration shows the maturity and readiness of Boeing's capabilities in the suite of services required to provide satellite communications on the move," said Kim Gillis, vice president and managing director of Boeing Defence Australia. "Our proven SOTM technology will provide defense customers with confidence that HQ on the Move capability can be achieved on the Ka-band satellite system ready for the WGS network."

Boeing Defence Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company and a business unit of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, is a leading Australian aerospace enterprise. With a world-class team of about 1,300 employees at 15 locations throughout Australia and four international sites, Boeing Defence Australia supports some of the largest and most complex defense projects in Australia.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses, specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 61,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

Contact:

James Baker

Boeing Defence Australia
+61 (0)7-3306-3411
james.m.baker9@boeing.com

Kohby Poole
Boeing Defence Australia
+61 (0)7-3305-1223
kohby.j.poole@boeing.com

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Boeing
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - BOEING DEFENSE NEWS: 4th Boeing Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite Ready For Liftoff

DTN News - BOEING DEFENSE NEWS: 4th Boeing Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite Ready For Liftoff
>WGS-4 scheduled for Jan. 19 launch from Cape Canaveral
>Satellite 1st in Block II series that includes new radio frequency bypass
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Boeing
 (NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - January 18, 2012: Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that the fourth Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellite the company is delivering to the U.S. Air Force has successfully completed prelaunch testing and is ready for launch. WGS-4, the first spacecraft in the program's upgraded Block II series, is scheduled to launch at 7:38 p.m. Eastern time on Jan. 19 aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

The Block II satellites (WGS 4-6) add a switchable radio frequency bypass that supports the transmission of airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance imagery at data rates approximately three times greater than those currently available on Block I satellites.

"This launch will be another important step in advancing communications capabilities for U.S. warfighters and allies around the world," said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager of Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems. "When it enters service, WGS-4 will join three other WGS satellites that deliver critical communications to help warfighters execute missions with greater safety and efficiency."

Boeing built and tested the WGS-4 spacecraft at its manufacturing facility in El Segundo. Upon arrival at Cape Canaveral on Nov. 15, the satellite was moved into a processing facility to complete a series of prelaunch tests that validated the satellite's operational readiness, including its ability to communicate with the ground control segment and launch site.

Boeing has delivered three WGS satellites and is under contract for six more, including WGS-4. They are built on the proven Boeing 702HP platform, which features highly efficient xenon-ion propulsion, deployable thermal radiators, and advanced triple-junction gallium-arsenide solar arrays that enable high-capacity, flexible payloads. The WGS communications payload has unique flexibility that is important to the military, as well as the ability to interconnect terminals that operate in different frequency bands and to reposition coverage beams based on evolving mission needs. WGS supports missions ranging from tactical communications to and between ground forces, to relaying data and imagery from airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 63,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

   Photo credit: Boeing photo

Neg. #: SEF11-10875-345

Contact:

Tiffany Pitts
Space & Intelligence Systems
Office: 714-372-2307
Mobile: 714-329-3027
tiffany.l.pitts@boeing.com

Cathie Fjeseth
Space & Intelligence Systems
Office: 310-662-7762
Mobile: 310-977-3600
catherine.fjeseth@boeing.com

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Boeing
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: General Dynamics Awarded $41 Million To Supply Next-Generation Deep Space Network Antennas For NASA

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: General Dynamics Awarded $41 Million To Supply Next-Generation Deep Space Network Antennas For NASA

**Two 34-meter (112-foot wide) antennas are part of a NASA plan to replace large, aging antennas that currently enable communications with NASA’s interplanetary flight missions.

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources General Dynamics - January 19,

2011

(NSI News Source Info) NEWTON, N.C. - January 23, 2011: General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies received a $40.7 million contract from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to build two additional 34-meter (112-foot wide) beam waveguide antennas as part of NASA’s modernization and transformation plan to continue scientific studies of the Earth as well as explore distant bodies in the solar system. The new antennas will be located at the Deep Space Network (DSN) facility in Canberra, Australia.

Gary Kanipe, vice president of General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies, said, “This contract, combined with General Dynamics’ continuing work to modernize the space administration’s ground systems, meets NASA’s critical need for seamless upgrades to communications and network infrastructure, while maintaining mission critical operations.” Originally designed by JPL and built by General Dynamics, the antennas enable the Deep Space Network to communicate with existing flight missions such as the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spitzer Space telescope, Saturn explorer Cassini, as well as support future NASA space missions. The company has built nine 34-meter antennas for NASA’s Deep Space Network. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Deep Space Network for NASA Headquarters, Washington. Beam waveguide-style antennas house sensitive electronics and systems in a room that is inside of the antenna’s ground-based pedestal rather than in the center of the dish or reflector. This design makes it easier for technicians to maintain the equipment as well as implement technology upgrades. Construction, integration and testing for the two new antennas, designated Deep Space Stations 35 and 36, are scheduled for completion by 2014 and 2016, respectively. NASA’s Deep Space Network is an international collection of antennas that support NASA’s spacecraft missions as well as radar and radio observatories that explore the solar system and universe. There are three Deep Space Network facilities, located 120 degrees apart, in California, Spain and Australia. This strategic placement enables constant observation and communication as the Earth rotates, making the Deep Space Network one of the largest and most sensitive scientific telecommunications systems in the world. General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies is a part of General Dynamics C4 Systems. More information is available at www.gdsatcom.com and www.gdc4s.com. More information about General Dynamics is available on the Internet at www.generaldynamics.com.

Contact: Fran Jacques Tel: (480)-441-2885 Email: Fran.Jacques@gdc4s.com

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

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DTN NEWS ON TWITTER (30 SUBJECTS)

DTN News: General Dynamics’ Warrior Antenna Terminals Certified To Operate On Wideband Global SATCOM Network

DTN News: General Dynamics’ Warrior Antenna Terminals Certified To Operate On Wideband Global SATCOM Network

* Ka-band certification enables greater use of Warrior antenna terminals by the U.S. Marine Corps as part of the Support Wide Area Network (SWAN) program

Source: DTN News / General Dynamics

(NSI News Source Info) SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - August 27, 2010: – Two General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies’ Warrior antenna terminals are now certified by the U.S. Army to use the Ka-band frequency to access the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) network, enabling warfighters to transmit and receive video, multimedia imagery and data faster and more securely.

Certification ensures that the General Dynamics Warrior 1.2 and 1.8 meter, Ka-band enabled terminals meet stringent performance and operational control requirements needed to operate on the WGS network.

The WGS network comprises a constellation of six U.S. Department of Defense satellites that provide flexible communications connectivity for U.S. military forces. Certification, completed by the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command (SMDC/ARSTRAT), enables Warrior terminals currently used by the U.S. Marine Corps as part of the Support Wide Area Network (SWAN) program to access the WGS network.

The SWAN program provides the Marines with secure and non-secure commercial-off-the-shelf satellite communications equipment that can quickly accommodate technology insertions and upgrades like the Ka-band capability.

The higher transmit and receive operating frequencies inherent to Ka-Band allow the SWAN terminals to use smaller, lighter, and more highly integrated communications capabilities than those used at Ku-Band. In addition to a smaller footprint and reduced weight, other benefits of Ka-band over Ku-band for satellite communications include: *Higher data-rate throughput for improved quality of video, voice and data communications *Reduced space segment cost through the use of the WGS system *Reduced communications interference issues due to dedicated WGS satellite access "The Warrior 1.2 and 1.8 meter terminals are composed of Very Small Aperture (VSAT) antenna subsystems, power amplifiers, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) modems, automatic tracking control and other related electronic subsystems.

Marvin Shoemake, vice president of sales for General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies, said, “The successful completion of the SMDC/ARSTRAT testing represents a major Ka-band upgrade for the SWAN program. The certification also opens the door for other government agencies, including homeland security, to have robust, beyond-line-of-sight communications using the WGS network.”

General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies, part of General Dynamics C4 Systems, is a leading supplier of emergency, strategic and tactical satellite ground terminals for reachback and range extension, including complete communications interoperability and control of fixed and mobile terminals.

Additional information about SATCOM Technology’s products and services is available on the Internet at www.gdsatcom.com.

General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 91,000 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies.

More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.generaldynamics.com.

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail

DTN News: Boeing's 3rd Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite Shipped To Cape Canaveral

DTN News: Boeing's 3rd Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite Shipped To Cape Canaveral *Source: DTN News / Boeing

(NSI News Source Info) EL SEGUNDO, Calif., - October 15, 2009: Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced today that the third Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellite built for the U.S. Air Force was shipped on Sept. 28 to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., where it will be tested and prepared for a November launch.

The U.S. Air Force received six Boeing Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellites. Boeing is the building high capacity communications satellites for the U.S. Department of Defense to improve communications bandwidth for the warfighter. The satellite will be monitored and controlled by the Air Force's 3rd Space Operations Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo.

WGS-3 completes the initial constellation of three WGS satellites, which will provide high-capacity X-band and Ka-band communications to U.S. forces and allies across all current theaters of operation around the world. WGS-1 has been in operation over the Pacific since April 2008, and WGS-2 has been operating over the Middle East since August 2009. Both satellites have met or exceeded mission requirements throughout their testing and operational phases. "With its extraordinary increase in satellite communications capacity and flexibility, WGS helps our warfighters more effectively execute their missions on land, at sea and in the air," said Brig. Gen. Samuel Greaves, Vice Commander of the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles. "This is another great milestone for the WGS team, which is performing superbly and setting the standards for getting these critical communications assets into space and into operational use." "WGS addresses our military's ever-growing appetite for high-bandwidth satellite communications," said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager, Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems. "We're now working with the Air Force to determine how future WGS satellites could be enhanced to handle missions involving airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and communications-on-the-move." WGS-3 was flown on an Air Force C-5 transport from Boeing's Satellite Development Center in El Segundo to Cape Canaveral last month. Before being shipped, WGS-3 completed mission assurance reviews and challenging factory tests that simulated the stress of the satellite's mission. The satellite successfully completed vibration tests and thermal vacuum tests. The vibration tests replicated the stresses of launch. Thermal vacuum tests were conducted in an airless chamber, with the satellite operating at full power, and subjected to extremes of heat and cold to simulate the working conditions it will experience in space. At Cape Canaveral, WGS-3 will undergo about six weeks of prelaunch testing and processing, including fueling, encapsulation inside the launch vehicle fairing, and integration with the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV launch vehicle. Boeing built two previous WGS satellites and is currently building three more for the Air Force. WGS-3 is the final satellite in the Block I series. Three Block II satellites are planned for launch in 2011, 2012 and 2013. A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.

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Boeing Completes Critical Design Review For FAB-T Software-Defined Radio

Boeing Completes Critical Design Review For FAB-T Software-Defined Radio

(NSI News Source Info) February 8, 2009: The U.S. Air Force is installing a high-speed satellite communications terminal in its heavy bombers. This FAB-T (Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals) enables the aircraft to communicate at broadband Internet rates (8 megabits a second). The FAB-T can also communicate with other ground and airborne radios that can share data files (video, pictures, audio). The point of all this is to enable aircraft to share all useful data with nearby aircraft and ground troops, and enable the bomber to drop its smart bombs faster and more accurately. Speed is often critical, as ground targets are frequently enemy gunmen or vehicles, who can quickly move. Since FAB-T can also handle highly encrypted messages, which makes it is useful for messages to and from bombers carrying nuclear weapons. The U.S. Air Force is again interested in the nuclear weapons capabilities of its 162 heavy bombers (19 B-2s, 67 B-1s and 76 B-52s). Unlike ballistic missiles, heavy bombers carrying nukes can be recalled or switch targets at the last minute. But you want those messages to be heavily encrypted, and FAB-T can handle that.

The Boeing Company has successfully completed the systemwide Critical Design Review (CDR) for its Family of Advanced Beyond line-of-sight Terminals (FAB-T) satellite communications program, paving the way for implementation of a new data capability. The CDR, which was conducted Oct. 28-30 for senior military, government and industry officials, demonstrated that the program's requirements are well defined and understood, as required in the FAB-T contract managed by the U.S. Air Force. The Boeing Terminal Test team established log on, downlink, and uplink connections with a Milstar 6 satellite -- a first step toward implementing Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite Extended Data Rate (XDR) capability. "Our design solution and program management have been validated as we've successfully executed this contract and completed this systemwide design review," said Jim Dodd, FAB-T program director for Boeing. "Formal qualification testing will further validate the terminals' interoperability and satellite interfaces." The FAB-T system includes software-defined radios, antennas and user-interface hardware that will enable the government to host numerous waveforms that accommodate data rates in excess of 300 megabits per second. Once operational, FAB-T will provide critical, secure beyond line-of-sight communications capability for warfighters via several satellites that support military forces. Boeing expects to begin deliveries of engineering development modules to the Air Force this year for FAB-T Increment 1, which incorporates airborne operational requirements for the Milstar and AEHF satellite systems. These units will be deployed to the various airborne users for integration with onboard mission systems. Flight testing of these modules is currently planned for mid-2009. FAB-T Increment 1 is a key enabler of network-centric communications. It will provide strategic forces with a multi-mission-capable family of software-defined radios that use common open system architecture to link to different satellites and enable information exchange between ground, air and space platforms. FAB-T represents a key building block in Boeing's vision of the integrated battlespace of the future, where networked information and communications systems provide a competitive edge to decision-makers and military personnel. In the next phase, Increment 2, Boeing will develop terminals to support Wideband Global SATCOM satellite operations on surveillance aircraft such as Global Hawk, with other platforms expected to follow.