Securing the Future: Satellite Communications for Defence and Security
Our CTO, Bob Potter, recently joined the GSOA webinar on satellite communications for defence and security, discussing satcoms role in enabling resilient, sovereign, and interoperable connectivity.
There is no doubt that the satcoms are central to modern defence operations, from helping defence forces navigate, ensuring secure communications, to gathering mission-critical intelligence and surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). Growing demands in defence mean not only is satcoms more important than ever, but also it needs to be able to adapt while providing resilience, flexibility and rapid deployability in increasingly complex and contested environments.
It is clear, both from the webinar discussion, and our regular interactions with defence customers, that satcom ground infrastructure needs to evolve quickly to keep up with the pace of change in this space.
How is the industry adapting?
Of course multi-orbit and multi-frequency are not just nice-to-haves, they have become an absolute must. As ST Engineering iDirect’s Dave Davies pointed out technology has to be “all things to all users”. And as Bob Potter previously noted one of the biggest problems for defence is that word “multi”. Being able to handle multiple orbits, bands, frequencies, adds to the complexity. This is especially problematic for defence users as often equipment will need to be handled by whoever is available to do it at the time, whether they have the training or not. And it needs to just work.
In the webinar Bob discussed our recently launched XY terminal, which has been designed with that in mind. As he mentioned it is a quick-deploy terminal so that in the event of any emergencies or contingencies, we can quickly pack up the terminal and move it elsewhere. What is crucial is that it provides multi-orbit capability in the simplest possible configuration, meaning that it can be confidently operated by nonspecialist personnel in mission critical scenarios.
As Bob highlighted, the antenna is made up of four major modules which are all interchangeable, which provides multiband capability integrated with our transceiver technology. The transceiver is both LNB and BUC, along with OMT, TRF, and antenna horn or antenna feed tube so simplifying the deployment of the entire application. Quickly assemble the mount integrated with our antenna control unit, an interchangeable manual or motorised pedestal, and a reflector. Then you simply connect the correct RF and feed tube and you’re ready to auto-deploy onto any satellite constellations or GEO satellites that are available. The modem is either integrated into the terminal or, using our rapid deploy RF-over-Fiber kit from Global Foxcom, remotely connected to the terminal.
Defence sector needs flexibility
Satcoms is changing and that means multi-orbit and multi-frequency, but defence actors are also looking for more hybrid approaches. Stewart Sanders of SES commented that hybrid networks can mean different things to different people. It could be referring to multi-orbit networks, hybrid ground architecture, or even incorporate other non-satellite technology.
Andrew Stanniland of MDA Space added that we have always had hybrid networks, they were just not designed that way, merely adapted to be hybrid. For him the real difference now is they are being designed to be hybrid, which enables us to be more flexible.
Vendors and operators need to remain flexible so they can react and adapt as needs change. This means having agile development processes, as well as ensuring that solutions have built in flexibility wherever possible.
As Bob pointed out, ground terminals are becoming ever more flexible. Being able to switch between bands or even orbits provides resiliency and greater flexibility for alternative communications. We’re already there in terms of ground terminals providing that flexibility.
Collaboration is key
Collaboration is crucial across many aspects of both the satellite and the defence industries, so it was not surprising that the importance of working together came up multiple times. What that looks like takes many forms, including allied forces working together to ensure security. It also includes the need for companies to work together, even those who are traditionally competitors. We are starting to see this emerging more and more, with companies becoming a little less hesitant to collaborate where it makes sense.
Perhaps most crucial of all, it includes working in partnership with the customer. It is not enough to simply build a solution and expect it to fit for every possible scenario. Needs vary based on so many different parameters, never more so than in defence operations. This is an approach we have always adopted for all of our customers. We don’t just make ground segment products, we work with our customers to design and build the right, and complete, solution for their unique requirements, while building in flexibility so they can adapt as those needs change.
Standards are important
As Bob highlighted, standards are important, not just from a technology point of view, but also in the defence sector because they allow a degree of security enabling customers to join multiple networks, beam hop, even satellite hop, without security concerns if done in a certain way.
At Global Invacom, we are looking at standards for interfacing, for control, and for the data plane. We are already capable of hosting DIFI connected devices, enabling digital RF over IP connectivity, and we have recently been exploring baseband I-Q connectivity or greater bandwidth and greater resiliency of data in terms of direct conversion of the data to RF.
Human element should not be ignored
It can be very easy for technology companies to focus so much on technology and innovation that they forget the human element. This was a topic that was mentioned a number of times throughout the discussion and is especially important in the defence sector where people change roles and responsibilities on a regular basis and in mission-critical situations there is an “all hands on deck” approach.
At the same time, often people may be operating in challenging conditions, battling extremes of weather and some very serious time constraints. If satcoms equipment is not easy and quick to install and deploy, it simply won’t work for these scenarios. This is why we have ensured that our rapid deployable XY antennas are a simple no tools assembly process (nothing to fumble with or drop) and one-button auto-acquire.
The future of milsatcoms
There is no doubt that the defence sector is evolving fast, but technology is also evolving and adapting to keep up with the pace of change. We are seeing some exciting innovations with more flexible ground terminals and equipment, and growing confidence in commercial satcom solutions and services.
At Global Invacom we have a number of recent innovations aimed at the defence sector, including both our XY antenna range and our milband XRJ transceiver. Visit us at Satshow Week to find out more.
