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	<title>Marines Archives - SES Space and Defense</title>
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		<title>How next-gen performance monitoring solutions will deliver greater visibility into DoD networks</title>
		<link>https://sessd.com/gsr/how-next-gen-performance-monitoring-solutions-will-deliver-greater-visibility-into-dod-networks/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[mallory]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 28 Nov 2022 15:19:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[GSR-resources]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[network visibility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ram Rao]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[U.S. Department of Defense]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://sessd.com/govsat/?p=7882</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Earlier this month, the commercial satellite industry and senior military officials from around the world convened in London for the Global MilSatCom conference. During the event, some of the most pre-eminent names in the world of SATCOM examined the latest topics and trends that are shaping the future of MILSATCOM and explored some of the [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://sessd.com/gsr/how-next-gen-performance-monitoring-solutions-will-deliver-greater-visibility-into-dod-networks/">How next-gen performance monitoring solutions will deliver greater visibility into DoD networks</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sessd.com">SES Space and Defense</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Earlier this month, the commercial satellite industry and senior military officials from around the world convened in London for the <a href="https://www.smgconferences.com/defence/uk/conference/global-milsatcom">Global MilSatCom</a> conference. During the event, some of the most pre-eminent names in the world of SATCOM examined the latest topics and trends that are shaping the future of MILSATCOM and explored some of the cutting-edge SATCOM technologies that are enhancing the operational effectiveness of militaries around the globe.</p>
<p>During one session at the event, SES Government Solutions’ (SES GS) Director of BD Engineering, Technologies and Solutions, Ram Rao, had the opportunity to address conference attendees on some of the next-generation solutions that are enabling greater visibility into militaries’ technology networks, and discuss how these emerging capabilities can advance <a href="https://www.defense.gov/">U.S. Department of Defense</a> (DoD missions and deliver critical, decision-making information and data at speed.</p>
<p><strong>Network visibility at speed<br />
</strong>In the past, the U.S. military has not had a capability to render big-picture visibility of all DoD information, communications, and technology networks. For example, if one branch of the DoD had a network of 500 end-to-end connections, there has never been a solution or means to have a high level, holistic view of all connections in one window for review. And this is a challenge that the U.S. military is looking to remedy.</p>
<p>There is immense value in being able to automatically drill down to individual network connections and dissect each part of an end-to-end connection. If military networks employed such automated capabilities, it would eliminate the laborious and time-consuming legwork of manually monitoring every network connection.</p>
<p>Instead of dedicating valuable manhours that manual monitoring requires, the DoD can employ automated solutions that constantly scan, examine, and provide feedback on all connections. These new technologies can also provide views that scale down to the individual satellite, teleport, and connection, as well as scale up to high-level, holistic vantage points of the entire network. Processes that used to take days of laborious network scanning and monitoring has now evolved into automated near real-time – if not real-time – feedback and visibility of a network and all the connections it houses.<strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><strong>Besting the adversary through real-time monitoring<br />
</strong>Aside from the benefits that DoD network operators could gain from an optimized visibility solution, it’s critical that the speed at which mission goals are delivered always remains a priority. According to Rao, “When we listen to all the high-ranking officials, five-star generals &#8211; all the way down to the hands-on people &#8211; in the military, the one thing they&#8217;re talking about is ‘speed of delivery’ and real-time processing, because every second matters when we are trying to defend ourselves or offend our enemies.”</p>
<p>Rao went on to explain that being the first to make decisions in a time of defensive or offensive crises is of the utmost importance to the DoD. The only way high-ranking officials can be first to strike or defend depends on the data, intelligence, and communications they exchange between decisionmakers at headquarters and the warfighters on the battlefield.</p>
<p>“It&#8217;s about making the decision <em>first</em>, and <em>who</em> is first,” said Rao. “We don’t want to make decisions blindly. We want to hit intelligently. So, how do you intelligently do it? If every link and connection is up and running, the data is flowing from the end-users to the headquarters, where all our decisionmakers are sitting. Through automated networking monitoring solutions that ensure assured communications and connectivity, they will have real-time data available to them and can quickly make decisions.”</p>
<p><strong>Network visibility and JADC2<br />
</strong>Network performance monitoring solutions that grant wider visibility into military networks will most certainly support the DoD’s overarching <a href="https://sgp.fas.org/crs/natsec/IF11493.pdf">Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2)</a> project. According to the Congressional Research Service, JADC2 is a “concept to connect sensors from all of the military services—Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force—into a single network.” DoD efforts that support network singularity, like JADC2, can give complete, high-level visibility into a conglomeration of various network capabilities that enable decisionmakers to advance missions.</p>
<p>Overarching network performance solutions that can drill down to individual views and subviews of a singular network connection is game-changing for a concept like JADC2. Allowing DoD decisionmakers to gain visibility into thousands of different network data points in a streamlined and consolidated interface can ensure that the U.S. military is always one step ahead of the adversary.</p>
<p><strong>The soon-to-come ICT Portal<br />
</strong>According to Rao, SES GS is hard at work on a soon-to-be-released solution that will deliver those network performance monitoring capabilities to the U.S. military. SES GS’ Information, Communications, and Technologies (ICT) Portal will do just that.</p>
<p>Rao describes the ICT Portal as a spokesperson for DoD networks. “The ICT Portal will be a window that will enable visibility into the network’s capabilities, how it is built, and how it is operating,” said Rao. “This will deliver complete resiliency to military networks, and support the DoD’s JADC2 initiative.”</p>
<p>“The platform will provide visibility on a single pane of glass to government end-users, and give a holistic view into networks from an end-to-end connectivity point of view,” said Rao.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://ses-gs.com/govsat/news/how-ai-ml-is-the-key-to-protecting-the-u-s-armys-space-assets/"><em>To learn about the role other emerging technologies, such as AI/ML, will play in the future of MILSATCOM, click HERE.</em></a></strong></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://sessd.com/gsr/how-next-gen-performance-monitoring-solutions-will-deliver-greater-visibility-into-dod-networks/">How next-gen performance monitoring solutions will deliver greater visibility into DoD networks</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sessd.com">SES Space and Defense</a>.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Satellite terminal advancements enabling a revolution in space</title>
		<link>https://sessd.com/gsr/satellite-terminal-advancements-enabling-a-revolution-in-space/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[mallory]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jul 2021 19:42:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Defense & Intel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GSR-resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[antenna]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Army]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[constellation]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[FLOT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GetSat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ISR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jason Stephens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[latency]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MICRO SAT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mike Blefko]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Military]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Milli SAT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mpower]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MWR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nano SAT]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[O3B]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Roll-Off]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[situational awareness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sling Blade]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tactical edge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[throughput]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://sessd.com/govsat/defense-intelligence/satellite-terminal-advancements-enabling-a-revolution-in-space/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>In our last article on the Government Satellite Report, we sat down with Jason Stephens of GetSat and Mike Blefko of SES Space and Defense to talk about the advanced communication requirements of today’s military, and how a new generation satellite solution and satellite terminal are combining to enable the military’s communication dream – true [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://sessd.com/gsr/satellite-terminal-advancements-enabling-a-revolution-in-space/">Satellite terminal advancements enabling a revolution in space</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sessd.com">SES Space and Defense</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In <a href="https://sessd.com/govsat/defense-intelligence/smaller-terminals-higher-throughputs-combine-to-enable-true-comms-on-the-move/">our last article on the <em>Government Satellite Report</em></a>, we sat down with Jason Stephens of <a href="https://www.getsat.com/">GetSat</a> and Mike Blefko of <a href="https://sessd.com/">SES Space and Defense</a> to talk about the advanced communication requirements of today’s military, and how a new generation satellite solution and satellite terminal are combining to enable the military’s communication dream – true comms on the move.</p>
<p>Ultimately, Mike and Jason explained how satellites at lower orbits – including LEO and MEO – and a new generation of smaller, more mobile, less power-hungry terminals were combining to make previously unheard-of throughputs and capability available to warfighters, regardless of their location or the availability of terrestrial networks.</p>
<p>In part two of our two-part conversation with Jason and Mike, we explored these new satellite advancements much more closely. During our discussion, we looked at the unique terminal requirements that result from putting satellites in orbit closer to Earth, expanded upon the new antenna technologies that can help reduce downtime and make satellites more dependable and talked about the new O3b mPOWER satellite service being launched by SES, which has the potential to revolutionize military communications across domains.</p>
<p><strong>GSR: </strong><em>In March of last year, GetSat announced that the MICRO SAT and Milli SAT solutions were compatible with the SES O3b MEO satellite service. What makes a MEO satellite constellation desirable for military users? What kinds of capabilities and use cases would benefit from a lower latency solution like O3b?</em></p>
<p><strong>Mike Blefko: </strong>Low-latency connectivity—150 ms roundtrip—enables what you do on your networks &#8211; like file transfer, webpage downloading, or video transmission. And it also very nicely enables a realistic and real-time telephone call.</p>
<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;I remember the many times I was forward deployed trying to have a Zoom or Skype call with family during Christmas, Thanksgiving, or a birthday. The calls were very choppy and I could not make anyone out.&#8221;</em> &#8211; Jason Stephens</p></blockquote>
<p>When you talk over GEO at 500 ms, it can sound very much like talking on a walkie-talkie. But 150 ms roundtrip is like talking on a cell phone. You don’t notice that low-latency delay. The transfer of files, and the acknowledgment and re-acknowledgment that occurs over a low-latency link, bogs down files as well as webpages overtop of a GEO network with that high latency.</p>
<p>When you have that low latency, you can load webpages, browse, and provide a morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) network to the forward-deployed troops. You can do that whether you’re on a base, a maritime vessel, or in an airborne environment. All those types of applications are now possible.</p>
<p><strong>Jason Stephens: </strong>I think Mike nailed it with the real-time services. Real-time services can include voice over IP calls, telephone conversations, and video ISR. And these are not only for the mission planning and mission approval for the military. But, as Mike said, they’re also applicable as MWR use cases.</p>
<p>I remember the many times I was forward deployed trying to have a Zoom or Skype call with family during Christmas, Thanksgiving, or a birthday. The calls were very choppy and I could not make anyone out.</p>
<p>The increase in performance for real-time services over mPOWER doesn’t just enable the battlefield commanders and things that are happening on the battlefield. With MWR services, you will be able to see your family at the other end without the audio and video being of subpar quality. The reduction of latency and increase in bandwidth will enable those real-time services and provide a much more enjoyable experience for deployed personnel using it as an MWR source.</p>
<p>Also, high latency for some IP solutions is very problematic. We have seen some issues with cloud services, from anything over 500 to 550 ms. It becomes problematic with some use cases. Additionally, in my experience, I have seen virtual private networks (VPN) have issues with latency. And in some instances, U.S. DoD commercial solutions for classified have problems with satellite communications, typically with GEO latency.</p>
<p>What we <em>have</em> seen is a reduction in latency using a MEO satellite service such as mPOWER. It removes those problems, from a cloud-based and encryption-based requirement from the commercial solutions for classified. Most branches and all special operations have moved to it for use in most forward-deployed areas.</p>
<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;When you have that low latency, you can load webpages, browse, and provide a morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) network to the forward-deployed troops. You can do that whether you’re on a base, a maritime vessel, or in an airborne environment.&#8221;</em> &#8211; Mike Blefko</p></blockquote>
<p>We are seeing that by reducing that latency, we are having less downtime on our commercial solution kits. And there is also less downtime and interaction with cloud-based services. We are seeing an increase in performance through the use of MEO satellites.</p>
<p><strong>Mike Blefko: </strong>Now, with high-throughput, low-latency connections, all support staff can be deployed to safer and supported environments that are not exposed to front-line peril. Cloud computing, whether it’s support, network infrastructure, or your IT staff, can be deployed in the rear echelon. Previously, it had to be deployed over high-latency, low-throughput links.</p>
<p><strong>GSR: </strong><em>Are there any particular special requirements or technologies that are necessary for a satellite terminal to work effectively with a MEO satellite service like O3b? How do solutions like MICRO SAT and Milli SAT Meet these special requirements?</em></p>
<p><strong>Mike Blefko: </strong>MEO and LEO satellites—unlike GEO—are moving overhead. Now as the comms on-the-move terminal on the ground wants to connect to that overhead link, it has to be able to track the satellites as they move across the sky, and it also has to compensate for any movement of the vehicle, airframe, or maritime vessel on the ground.</p>
<p>A lot of software design goes back and forth between both organizations to ensure that the satellite company communicates to the terminal company the correct data, so they ingest it and point it in the right direction. And when we get ready to switch from one satellite to the next, we make sure that it occurs as efficiently as possible.</p>
<p><strong>Jason Stephens: </strong>As Mike mentioned, in a MEO architecture the satellites are moving overhead at a really rapid clip. When you develop a terminal, the terminal has to be able to track very fast. We want to reduce the time. If it is a mechanical steering antenna, it has to have very fast tracking, because you want to reduce that time to reacquisition on the next satellite.</p>
<p>Not only does that terminal have to track extremely fast—which the MICRO SAT and the Milli SAT do—you also need a software-based application inside the terminal that is going to cross that telemetry and ephemerous data that is provided by SES. Because when that terminal is told it is time to hand over to that next satellite, that terminal knows where that next satellite is.</p>
<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;MEO and LEO satellites—unlike GEO—are moving overhead. Now as the comms on-the-move terminal on the ground wants to connect to that overhead link, it has to be able to track the satellites as they move across the sky&#8230;&#8221;</em> Mike Blefko</p></blockquote>
<p>From a mechanical and antenna design, and a software-based application, you have to have something inside the terminal that can process all of this information and tell the terminal what it needs to do. And this all has to happen in a very short period of time, so you are not interrupting services to the end-user.</p>
<p>The MICRO SAT and the Milli SAT terminals are mechanically-steered antennas that have this capability built-in. The next generation of antennas that we have just introduced—our Sling Blade Ka electronically steerable array antennas—will have electronic scanning which will allow the handover from satellite to satellite in a much faster timeline. We will reduce the handover timeline from a mechanical steering antenna to an electronically-steered antenna, from approximately 1.8 -2 seconds down to less than 100 msec.</p>
<p>Not only is there a hardware requirement, but also a software application inside the terminal to ensure success. There is a lot of information that needs to be processed in a very short amount of time.</p>
<p><strong>GSR: </strong><em>Later this year, SES will be launching the first satellites in their next-generation MEO satellite service &#8211; O3b mPOWER. Will GetSat terminals work with the O3b mPOWER service?</em></p>
<p><strong>Mike Blefko: </strong>The short answer is yes. All the work we’ve done with GetSat to implement the MICRO, Milli, and Nano models overtop the O3b MEO today will be leveraged. And when we launch mPOWER in September and it goes online, eventually 11 satellites at the equatorial plane will go up.</p>
<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;The next generation of antennas that we have just introduced—our Sling Blade Ka electronically steerable array antennas—will have electronic scanning which will allow the handover from satellite to satellite in a much faster timeline.&#8221;</em> &#8211; Jason Stephens</p></blockquote>
<p>Each of those satellites will be able to point approximately 5,000 beams down to the planet. And each one of those beams coming off that satellite electronically-steered antenna will easily be able to point to a group of GetSat terminals on the ground that are spaced within a 250 km diameter beam. Or it will be able to point many beams at individual terminals. Both the current constellation as well as our future mPOWER constellation will work very efficiently over GetSat terminals.</p>
<p><strong>Jason Stephens: </strong>Mike mentioned our Nano Hi, MICRO SAT, and Milli SAT terminals that are currently operating on O3b Classic. And yes, they will transition to operate on mPOWER. Those discussions, testing, and approvals are already in the works with SES Space and Defense and SES Networks.</p>
<p>Additionally, all of the electronically steerable array antennas in our Sling Blade Ka family, such as our Nano, MICRO, and Milli Sling Blade, will also transition to be operational on the mPOWER constellation. And those discussions and approvals are already currently in the works with SES Networks.</p>
<p><strong>GSR: </strong><em>What about this service should be exciting for military users? How could you see this service &#8211; coupled with GetSat terminals &#8211; impacting the way the military operates?</em><em> </em></p>
<p><strong>Mike Blefko: </strong>When we implemented one of the first contracts for U.S. government users in 2016, we took high throughput and low latency and pushed it to the tactical edge of the network for any number of applications. O3b today continues to deliver on that capability.</p>
<p>As mPOWER comes online, higher throughput at that same low latency will be delivered to the large, fixed enterprise terminals and the small tactical comms on-the-move terminals. And now it will take that connectivity to the next layer of the soldier’s network. It essentially pushes applications out to the edge, making connectivity—all the way from the edge and back to the command center—another order of magnitude better than it is today.</p>
<p><a href="https://sessd.com/govsat/resources/o3b-mpower-for-u-s-government-missions/"><strong><em>For additional information on mPOWER, click HERE to download, “O3b mPOWER for U.S. Government Missions.”</em></strong></a></p>
<p><small><em>Featured image by Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Paige Hause</em></small></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://sessd.com/gsr/satellite-terminal-advancements-enabling-a-revolution-in-space/">Satellite terminal advancements enabling a revolution in space</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sessd.com">SES Space and Defense</a>.</p>
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		<title>Smaller terminals, higher throughputs combine to enable true comms on the move</title>
		<link>https://sessd.com/gsr/smaller-terminals-higher-throughputs-combine-to-enable-true-comms-on-the-move/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[mallory]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Jun 2021 16:47:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Defense & Intel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GSR-resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[antenna]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Army]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[constellation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DoD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FLOT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GetSat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ISR]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jason Stephens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[latency]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LEO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marines]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[MICRO SAT]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Military]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Roll-Off]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Roll-On]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[situational awareness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sling Blade]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tactical edge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[throughput]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://sessd.com/govsat/defense-intelligence/smaller-terminals-higher-throughputs-combine-to-enable-true-comms-on-the-move/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Almost every new military vehicle, platform, or system that is created is in some way network-enabled. Whether the concept is to generate ISR data or user data to improve operations, drive military decision-making, or push advanced capabilities into the field for the warfighter, today’s modern military systems operate optimally when there is connectivity. However, the [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://sessd.com/gsr/smaller-terminals-higher-throughputs-combine-to-enable-true-comms-on-the-move/">Smaller terminals, higher throughputs combine to enable true comms on the move</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sessd.com">SES Space and Defense</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Almost every new military vehicle, platform, or system that is created is in some way network-enabled. Whether the concept is to generate ISR data or user data to improve operations, drive military decision-making, or push advanced capabilities into the field for the warfighter, today’s modern military systems operate optimally when there is connectivity.</p>
<p>However, the military has to operate in some of the most austere, remote, and geographically isolated locations on the planet. These are Disconnected, Intermittent, Limited bandwidth (DIL) environments, where the ubiquitous connectivity that Americans have come to expect – and even take for granted – at home is either unavailable, denied, or untrusted.</p>
<p>In these places with limited or no connectivity, making the most out of our next-generation, network-connected military platforms and systems means we need satellite communications. But not the satellite communications of the past – high-throughput, low-latency satellite communications that can deliver fiber-like connectivity to anywhere on the Earth. And we can’t rely on old-school satellite terminals and antennas either if we’re going to extend that fiber-like connectivity to every vehicle, ship, plane or warfighter for true “comms on the move.”</p>
<p>The next generation of antennas and terminals needs to be interoperable, mobile, and smart. They need to be capable of working with advanced satellite constellations in orbits other than GEO to deliver connectivity without interruption. And they need to be innovative to make them dependable, easy to use, and automated in their deployment and operation.</p>
<p>One of the terminal manufacturers that has taken on this challenge is <a href="https://www.getsat.com/">GetSat</a>, which provides the military with a slate of small, advanced, smart terminals capable of meeting the rigorous demands of today’s military, and satellite services. We recently sat down with Jason Stephens of GetSat, who was joined by Mike Blefko of SES Space and Defense – one of GetSat’s satellite service partners – to talk about the satellite requirements of today’s military, and the revolutionary new services on the horizon.</p>
<p>Here is part one of our two-part conversation:</p>
<p><strong>Government Satellite Report (GSR): </strong><em>Can you tell our readers about GetSat and its solutions? What different kinds of products does it offer to government and military customers?</em></p>
<p><strong>Jason Stephens: </strong>GetSat is a privately held company, headquartered in Rehovot, Israel. We also have a North American headquarters in McLean, Virginia. GetSat specializes in the micronization of satellite communications terminals for on-the-move requirements. We operate on platforms such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), military vessels for land-based use, military vessels for maritime use, widebody aircraft for the U.S. military, and some commercial UAV operators.</p>
<p>Typically, the spectrum of terminals that we produce are anywhere from very small terminals that will operate on Class II and Class III UAVs, up to our largest terminal, which we call our Milli H or Milli HI. And that terminal is typically used for military land-based vehicles and Roll-On/Roll-Off requirements for special operation forces in the U.S. military. We are also seeing this terminal being installed on military maritime vessels around the world.</p>
<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;&#8230;if there was a large file that needed to be transferred in the gigabyte range over a GEO satellite and large reflector parabolic-like antenna, it could take hours &#8211; if not days &#8211; to send really large files&#8230;&#8221;</em> &#8211; Mike Blefko</p></blockquote>
<p>Primarily, our company prioritizes the development and manufacture of on-the-move terminals. We are also in the process of bringing to market our newest development efforts, which are Ka and Ku electronically-steerable array antennas. These are for services such as mPOWER, O3b Classic, and other LEO and MEO architectures.</p>
<p><strong>GSR: </strong><em>Why are small form-factor satellite terminals important for military users today? What trends are we seeing in the military that are driving a need for connectivity at the tactical edge?</em></p>
<p><strong>Jason Stephens: </strong>At the very forward line of troops (FLOT), you see a requirement for a huge amount of data exfiltration and infiltration, whether it be intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), personal location information (PLI), or video streaming services.</p>
<p>We are to the point where the DoD is operating with surgical strike attack capability. So, sometimes those approvals are at the very forward edge, coming from headquarters or other locations around the world. You may have someone in the U.S. commanding a task force operating in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, or the Pacific.</p>
<p>And those approvals are coming from information that is being exfiltrated back to locations in the U.S. headquarters or around the world. The decision-making processes on whether to continue forward with a mission are happening in real-time. And that real-time decision-making is only capable of happening with the data exfiltration and the data infiltration that is required at the FLOT.</p>
<p>And what we’re seeing at the FLOT is a requirement to go faster, smaller, lighter, with less power draw. There’s no opportunity at the tactical edge to stop, pause, bring up a terminal, and spend 45 minutes bringing a land-based or a traditional parabolic terminal up onto the network.</p>
<p>So, with the requirement of that data exfiltration and data infiltration for the command and control of those troops, you’re seeing exponential growth in small form-factor, on-the-move requirements for our U.S. DoD customers and military ministries of defense around the world.</p>
<p><strong>Mike Blefko: </strong>To supplement what Jason is saying regarding the terminals, that’s essentially where the satellite companies like SES are heading as well. Our goal is to provide that air interface link in real-time to those terminals in the field at the tactical edge, with high-throughput and—ideally—low-latency connections. This is so they can essentially execute all those applications, all that analysis, and have the information available in real-time for both our existing O3b and our new constellation mPOWER that is going up.</p>
<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;They’ll be able to push and pull real-time ISR, messaging, direct action approvals, and direct action planning material to-and-from the battlefield without having to pause and set up communications to exfiltrate that data – effectively enabling true comms on the move.&#8221; &#8211;</em> Jason Stephens</p></blockquote>
<p>O3b Classic, our MEO constellation of 20 satellites, does this very well today. But we have a limited number of beams on orbit. As we go into mPOWER, we’ll have a huge paradigm shift in the number of beams that go up that could essentially point to all those individual GetSat terminals that get deployed on the ground. We are really looking forward to that jump in capability as we move into our next generation of mPOWER.</p>
<p><strong>GSR: </strong><em>With terminals like GetSat’s MICRO SAT and Milli SAT deployed on military vehicles, what kinds of capabilities, solutions, and applications could the military make available to the warfighter?</em></p>
<p><strong>Jason Stephens: </strong>The key here is to understand the exponential increase in data rate capabilities with mPOWER in small form-factor terminals. With the commissioning of mPOWER, and the qualification of terminals the size of MICRO SAT or Milli SAT on mPOWER, and the expected data rates that we are going to see over the mPOWER constellation with these small-form-factor terminals, [users] will have the ability to [perform] command and control functions from a vehicle.</p>
<figure id="attachment_7460" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-7460" style="width: 450px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="wp-image-7460" src="https://sessd.com/govsat/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/Micro-LM-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="322" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-7460" class="wp-caption-text"><em>&#8220;GetSat specializes in the micronization of satellite communications terminals for on-the-move requirements. We operate on platforms such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), military vessels for land-based use, military vessels for maritime use, widebody aircraft for the U.S. military, and some commercial UAV operators.&#8221; &#8211; Jason Stephens</em></figcaption></figure>
<p>They’ll be able to push and pull real-time ISR, messaging, direct action approvals, and direct action planning material to-and-from the battlefield without having to pause and set up communications to exfiltrate that data &#8211; effectively enabling true comms on the move.</p>
<p><strong>GSR: </strong><em>What new technologies or advancements in military solutions will this enable them to utilize? What advanced capabilities will this bring to the warfighter?</em></p>
<p><strong>Jason Stephens: </strong>Everything. It would be everything. You’re opening up a complete capability that hasn’t been there previously.</p>
<p>Previously with FLOT, if you did 256K or 512K or 1 MB full-duplex in the return, it was an accomplishment. With mPOWER and the small form-factor terminals, these terminals will enable comms on the move and do 20, 30, 40 MB forward and return. So, you’re opening the architecture of “anything is possible” at the forward edge.</p>
<p><strong>Mike Blefko: </strong>Prior to that type of capacity—with those types of data rates Jason just mentioned—if there was a large file that needed to be transferred in the gigabyte range over a GEO satellite and large reflector parabolic-like antenna, it could take hours &#8211; if not days &#8211; to send really large files with that connection architecture.</p>
<p>A lot of times, military users would essentially pull hard drives out of computers and transport them by helicopters, because that was more efficient than over a satellite network. With the smaller terminals and the higher data rates, not only do these large 100 gigabyte or terabyte files send out in hours, these gigabyte files that get sent back and forth no longer have to be compressed or scaled back. So, if they’re going from the tactical edge to some analytic center, it can be sent in real-time and analyzed in real-time, enabling real-time decision-making on the ground.</p>
<p>Then there are the advanced solutions making their way into the battlefield – things like AR goggles and heads-up displays. You would need a robust connection to look at some sort of simulator or some sort of situational awareness in real-time. As Jason mentioned, if small-form-factor terminals deliver 500 K to 1 Mb, they were doing pretty well. We can get anywhere from 30-40 Mb duplex data rates today.</p>
<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;&#8230;what we’re seeing at the FLOT is a requirement to go faster, smaller, lighter, with less power draw. There’s no opportunity at the tactical edge to stop, pause, bring up a terminal, and spend 45 minutes bringing a land-based or a traditional parabolic terminal up onto the network.&#8221;</em> &#8211; Jason Stephens</p></blockquote>
<p>We’ve recently deployed this type of technology to maritime vessels. On maritime vessels, especially on hospital ships like Mercy and Comfort, they were looking for it to be able to use what is called a DaVinci machine. This is a medical machine where a doctor at a land-based location can perform an operation at sea remotely. This is done by using a high-throughput, low-latency link over a GetSat terminal that delivers the link.</p>
<p>It has such a quick response time and feedback overtop of the network. They can do a precise, lifesaving operation in the field if the operation could not be delayed for the person who is injured to be returned back to a land-based hospital.</p>
<p>That type of capability exists today. Whether it be a simulator or a real-time situational awareness, or medical capability to help the warfighter in the field, all those types of applications are enabled.</p>
<p><strong>Jason Stephens: </strong>The telemedicine requirement for the U.S. military has grown exponentially over the last three to five years. And as Mike mentioned with the DaVinci machine and the hospital ships, it’s not only on those vessels but also at the forward edge.</p>
<p>We have medical personnel at the forward edge, and there is a huge requirement for bandwidth to support telemedicine to ensure that injured troops will receive the proper procedures with the proper guidance.</p>
<p>Additionally, from a warfighter perspective, we are seeing exponential growth in unmanned land-based vessels and unmanned surface vessels for maritime use. What that’s allowing is for us to reduce risk for soldiers, sailors, and marines. And by reducing that risk, we are able to reduce casualties, and, in most cases, we are able to gain more information and intelligence.</p>
<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;A lot of times, military users would essentially pull hard drives out of computers and transport them by helicopters, because that was more efficient than over a satellite network.&#8221;</em> &#8211; Mike Blefko</p></blockquote>
<p>With the high data rate requirements for those platforms, we have multiple cameras on all of them. You have multiple collection capabilities on all of them. You are able to operate in a completely different and more covert environment. And then you can exfiltrate data from those devices while reducing risk and increasing situational awareness for decision-makers.</p>
<p><strong>Mike Blefko: </strong>What the network was able to handle prior to now was a single feed at a time. The U.S. government has a capability called unified video dissemination solution (UVDS) that requires multiple video feeds to be sent simultaneously over top of a link. But if you’ve only got a 500 K to 1 Mb link, it’s very difficult to execute such a task.</p>
<p>However, with O3b today, and certainly mPOWER tomorrow, we’ve demonstrated and implemented multiple video feeds. We can go up to six videos over the same video channel. That greatly increases with mPOWER, with respect to the data rates.</p>
<p><a href="https://sessd.com/govsat/resources/o3b-mpower-for-u-s-government-missions/"><strong><em>For additional information on mPOWER and its ability to enable comms on the move, click HERE to download, “O3b mPOWER for U.S. Government Missions.”</em></strong></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://sessd.com/gsr/smaller-terminals-higher-throughputs-combine-to-enable-true-comms-on-the-move/">Smaller terminals, higher throughputs combine to enable true comms on the move</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sessd.com">SES Space and Defense</a>.</p>
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		<title>How global satellite providers and future HTS satellites can keep the President better connected</title>
		<link>https://sessd.com/gsr/how-global-satellite-providers-and-future-hts-satellites-can-keep-the-president-better-connected/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[mallory]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 2015 16:31:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Defense & Intelligence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GSR-resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Air Force]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Air Force One]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[command and control en route]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COMSATCOM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine One]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Navy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SATCOM]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[subscription satellite]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[VIP aircraft]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://govsat.wpengine.com/?p=5225</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Command and control en route has long been a concern for the military and senior level decision makers within the federal government. Without the ability to stay connected while in the air, the President and other government and military leaders would either be without the ability to make fast decisions, or be forced to do [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://sessd.com/gsr/how-global-satellite-providers-and-future-hts-satellites-can-keep-the-president-better-connected/">How global satellite providers and future HTS satellites can keep the President better connected</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sessd.com">SES Space and Defense</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Command and control en route has long been a concern for the military and senior level decision makers within the federal government. Without the ability to stay connected while in the air, the President and other government and military leaders would either be without the ability to make fast decisions, or be forced to do so without all of the data necessary to make informed decisions while in transit.</p>
<p>Imagine if an executive order to conduct a timely military operation couldn’t be issued on time because the President was aboard Air Force One &#8211; or if the federal response to a disaster was slowed because necessary parties were en route to the disaster zone. Either situation could be potentially catastrophic for the country and cost American lives.</p>
<p>To combat this issue, the Air Force has long implemented satellite communications aboard Air Force One and the other thirty “VIP aircraft” that make up the 89th Air Wing out of Andrews Air Force Base. This satellite connection enables the President and other senior decision makers to access necessary information, communicate and collaborate with other leaders while in transit, and ultimately ensures that the government doesn’t grind to a halt while the people who call the shots are more than 30,000 feet in the air.</p>
<p>The US Navy has also been exploring airborne COMSATCOM solutions for their senior leaders via the Navy Senior Leadership Communications-Airborne (NSLC-A) program.  Under this program &#8211; using traditional leased capacity with roaming between GEO satellites &#8211; the Navy has the flexibility of using a global satellite service provider to provide command and control en route for senior decision makers..</p>
<p>There are a number of ways to support the “VIP aircraft” operated by the Air Force and Navy.  One is to leverage the existing global COMSATCOM providers and the infrastructure that is already in place. In this model, the user has dedicated, secure bandwidth that is always-on and reliable.</p>
<p>A second model for supporting “VIP aircraft” requirements is to employ a subscription model for COMSATCOM services. This is a similar model to what is being effectively delivered by COMSATCOM providers – such as SES – to commercial airlines today.</p>
<p>In this model, the COMSATCOM provider supplies necessary hardware – including modems and land equipment – to the user, much of which is capable of delivering advanced functionality and capability. For example &#8211; today’s advanced geosynchronous global satellite technologies can deliver seamless switching between beams and satellites, effectively enabling continuous access with no downtime as aircraft leave one satellite’s coverage area and enter another’s. It’s the same technology that COMSATCOM providers such as SES utilize to enable the uninterrupted piloting of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) across the military.</p>
<p>By taking advantage of the existing infrastructure, innovative business models, and the investments in advanced technology that have already been made by the COMSATCOM industry, the Air Force can save a significant amount of money, enable more advanced functionality and deliver a more seamless connection to the President and senior level decision makers. And by following suit, other branches of the military (such as Navy NSLC-A) can deliver the same benefits to their “VIP aircraft.”</p>
<p>By taking advantage of industry innovation, the military could even think about expanding COMSATCOM services to all aircraft, giving military servicemen and women the same connectivity that business passengers have enjoyed for many years. If commercial airlines can offer something to coach passengers, shouldn’t we extend the same service to America’s men and women in uniform?</p>
<p>For additional information on providing connectivity en route, click on the resources below:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://govsat.wpengine.com/resources/bigbeamwhitepaper/">The Big Beam Boom – HTS White Paper (registration required)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ses.com/4233325/news/2015/21634745">SES AND Global Eagle Entertainment Double Capacity in Expanded In-Flight Connectivity Deal</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ses.com/4233325/news/2015/20810381">Global Eagle Entertainment and SES Sign Major Capacity Deals on Three HTS Satellites as Part of Global In-Flight Connectivity Pact</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ses.com/4233325/news/2014/20343989">Global Eagle Entertainment and SES Sign a Strategic Partnership to Deliver Global Ku-band Satellite In-flight Connectivity to Airlines</a></li>
</ul>
<p>The post <a href="https://sessd.com/gsr/how-global-satellite-providers-and-future-hts-satellites-can-keep-the-president-better-connected/">How global satellite providers and future HTS satellites can keep the President better connected</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sessd.com">SES Space and Defense</a>.</p>
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