Improving Military Communications Through COTM

Tuesday, February 01 2011

Avital component for any military organization is the ability to communicate, share information and provide support for large, mobile groups of personnel anytime, anywhere. Satellite technology is well suited to meet these needs. It provides a flexible, reliable and high-capacity service that can cover a large area. For units deployed around the world, satellite provides a high-speed communications backbone. It connects soldiers to each other and to central operations. It also enables them to stay united with friends and family back home.

Communications on the Move (COTM) satellite technology increasingly is helping the military with mission-critical connectivity when they need to be mobile. As the name implies, COTM provides communications for soldiers on the move.

By providing real-time, secure and reliable video, data and voice transmission via satellite for warfighters and military support organizations, satellite communications enables military groups to carry out important national security missions in areas that lack supporting communications infrastructure. Satellite COTM routers are ideal for battlefield ISR missions as they require limited setup time and are ready for rapid deployment in any theater of operations around the world. Satellite COTM routers are extremely compact and scaled to fit in a soldier’s pack. Additionally, COTM remote routers designed for military applications are ruggedized for continual operations in adverse conditions when soldiers are on the move. COTM enabled satellite networks allow COTM routers and itinerant terminals to operate seamlessly around the world.

Mobile communications over satellite is not a new idea, but a number of technological advancements in the past few years have made widespread deployment more cost effective and transparent to the end user. Smaller satellite dishes, globally persistent IP addressing and the efficient use of spread spectrum technology have all enhanced the mobility of communications over satellite.

The following are three main types of COTM which are increasingly vital for warfighters on the battlefield.

Ground COTM

New developments in portable ground COTM technology offer several critical advantages. Soldiers can receive battlefield imagery that identifies potential threats, transmit situational video to base, receive command and control information and even transmit X-rays and imagery of a wounded soldier to doctors who can interpret the injury and provide guidance on proper treatment. The value of ground COTM was demonstrated during a recent exercise at Fort Monmouth, NJ. The exercise involved a 15-mile route designed to test-drive COTM systems. In the exercise, a designated COTM vehicle maintained a live video teleconference with Fort Monmouth and a joint task force forward operating base. Using an L-3 Datron Ku-band antenna system, the network sustained connectivity for 35 minutes, passing under overpasses and through heavily wooded areas in the Fort Monmouth vicinity, at speeds as high as 65 miles per hour.

COTM systems traditionally were deployed in larger vehicles; however, significant advancements in satellite communications have brought the technology to the warfighter. New satellite router boards that are half the size of current product standards are now available to fit in soldiers’ rucksacks, providing COTM connectivity to on-the-foot warfighters.

At the Fort Monmouth demonstration referenced above, a ground task force integrated a small form factor satellite router board into a portable terminal to support mobile X-band connectivity. The compact unit uses a light dual paneled antenna for voice, video, and data connectivity. The unit was configured with multiple hubs, allowing troops to accomplish simulated objectives while on the move.

With a dynamic ground COTM solution, a vehicle in the field becomes “broadband-enabled,” capable of supporting Internet, voice, data, and video services. Satellite routers can fit in the rear of a vehicle. A low-profile antenna installs on top, and inside the cabin, users benefit from wireless connectivity on laptop computers and Voice over Internet Protocol phones.

Airborne COTM

Some of the most dynamic developments in COTM technology are taking place in terms of airborne communications. The need for high-definition video from mobile military aircraft communications has long been a requirement for Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR). In the past, achieving this goal has been difficult due to the requirement for very high inbound data rates through ultra small antennas. Further complicating ISR is the use of high-speed aircraft which introduces the Doppler Effect, where high speeds, turbulence and rapid shifts in altitude create problems in receiving satellite signals.