TCI to supply VSATs to US Army
TeleCommunication Systems (TCS) will provide Micro Satellite (Microsat) Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs) to the US Army under a delivery order announced on 14 October. The terminals have been ordered under the army's Global Tactical Advanced Communication Systems (GTACS) programme.
TCS will partner with Tampa Microwave to supply the terminals, which will be MicroVSAT .65M and .95M terminals and 1.3M Flyaway VSAT terminals. The Wideband Global SATCOM-certified terminals meet MIL-STD-810G tactical requirements.
The MicroVSAT family can deliver data rates up to 10 MBS to provide a terrestrial large pipe in geographically-challenged areas. The units’ small form factor enables non-attributable transport and operation, making them well suited for special operations teams, tier-1 responders, command and control, and data exfiltration calls.
TCS will also provide baseband networking equipment as part of the solution in partnership with Klas Telecom.
Michael Bristol, government solutions group president, TCS, said: ‘TCS, Klas Telecom and Tampa Microwave have collaborated on MicroVSAT satellite system opportunities for more than five years. As a prime contractor, TCS has supplied these terminals to the DoD via the WWSS contract vehicle and now the GTACS contract vehicle.
‘With the continuing strong demand for MicroVSAT equipment, we are honoured to again serve as a trusted vendor in equipping our nation's warfighter with this advanced communications capability.’
The order has a total value of $223.4 million if all options are exercised through September 2020. The initial funding on this order is $9.9 million for the base 12-month period starting September 2015.
More from Digital Battlespace
-
AUSA 2024: General Micro Systems adds four new products to the X9 Spider family
The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.
-
BAE Systems gets go-ahead for second phase of mission communications programme
DARPA’s Mission-Integrated Network Control (MINC) programme was set up to develop an autonomous tactical network and enable critical data flow in contested environments.
-
Just Released: Space Technology Report
Why space is an essential part of modern military capabilities
-
Work-from-home warfare: the power of mixed reality
Defence-secure mixed reality headsets can save hours, or even weeks, of travel time to fix defunct equipment or get subject experts effectively “on-site” where they are needed.
-
Northrop Grumman receives follow-on contract for CUAS and C-IED systems
The Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) and Drone Restricted Access Using Known Electromagnetic Warfare (DRAKE) counter-UAS (CUAS) systems are mounted and dismounted RF jammers.
-
Adarga’s Vantage AI software selected for UK Strategic Command’s Defence Support
Adarga’s Vantage information analysis tool is in service with the UK MoD and individual UK forces. It builds on the company’s Knowledge Platform which processes, organises and analyses open source material, as well as information held by the user’s military, security and intelligence services.