Balancing Bandwidth Needs with Increased Efficiency

Via Satellite – U.S. DoD’s needs for innovation investments to maximize all assets (Milsatcom & commercial) has never been greater. With the drawdown in Afghanistan complete and new hot spots emerging, U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) military planners must wrestle with both shrinking defense budgets and fewer ground forces at their command. The need for innovation investments…

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Apples-to-Satellites: What Are We Comparing?

The Senate Armed Services Committee recently requested five-, 10-, and 25-year strategic plans from DoD for the appropriate blend of military and commercial satellite bandwidth. Presumably, the committee is seeking cost-avoidance in the present and cost-savings in the long run. I have not actually seen any attempt at this type of comparison for several years. Industry…

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Commercial X-band: In the ring with Ku- and Ka-Band

There is a lot of chatter in the marketplace right now regarding the pros and cons of Ka- vs. Ku-band. Commercial X-band, a frequency reserved entirely for U.S. and Allied Governments’ use, has multiple technical advantages which make it a solid contender in any bandwidth selection process, yet is has been strangely left out of…

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New Technology and User Requirements Drive Change in XTAR Strategy

The U.S. and its Allies are facing significant troop draw downs in Afghanistan. Potential massive spending cuts are looming in U.S. federal and state governments. Presumably the next conflict zones will lie in Asia. DoD procurement methods continue to constrain the cost-effective use of commercial SATCOM. New and continually more sophisticated technologies in intelligence, reconnaissance…

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