|
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK
 Via Satellite’s military e-letter could not have published at a more important time than this week. As the Obama administration maps out the details of its long-term strategy in Afghanistan, the Future ComsatCom Services Acquisition (FSCA) program aims to work out the kinks of an acquisition process that has prevented the government from creating any kind of long-term communications infrastructure plan.
FSCA, set up by the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. General Services Administration to combine the civilian and military commercial satellite acquisition vehicles into a one-stop shop, will open up greater opportunities for the commercial satellite industry to provide services to carry out government missions. However, the biggest obstacle in delivering communications solutions to the military is, ironically, communication itself.
Commercial and military satellite partnerships deal with a wide variety of perceptions, and in some cases, misconceptions. While both sides see the need to work together, the “ideal partnership” — one that could satisfy commercial, military and government decision makers while clearing the regulatory red tape — has yet to be defined. But the reality remains that 80 percent of military satellite communications are currently handled by commercial entities and that number needs to grow in order to meet the military’s future requirements.
To address this issue, Via Satellite has decided to go beyond this e-letter with a new webinar. On Dec. 16 at 1 p.m., I will be hosting “Addressing the Issues of Government and Military Bandwidth Acquisition,” a webinar featuring a panel of representatives from all corners of the issue — government, military, analytical and commercial satellite industry. We are providing an opportunity for everyone involved to sit at the same table and discuss solutions. This is a must-attend for satellite companies looking to expand their business intelligence and hear directly from government and military officials on how efficient bandwidth acquisition is progressing. For our readers in the government and military, the webinar will give you an opportunity to better understand the concerns of your commercial providers. For a majority of perceptions and issues, you may be surprised to find yourselves on the same page.
— Jeffrey Hill, News Editor.
Advertisement
Top Story
U.S. Military Officials Talk Strategy, Landscape Post TSAT
After the cancellation of the Transformational Satellite Communications System (TSAT) program earlier this year, both U.S. military officials and commercial satellite companies realized that military satellite plans would have to be radically altered. ...More»
Advertisement
Get the latest technical insights in satellite test with these useful resources from Agilent
The satellite poster shows geostationary satellites and design and validation solutions. The application note covers characterizing broadband systems such as radar and satellite, for linearity. The CD covers seven presentations from the 2008 Satellite Seminar. Click here to order one or all three. |
Industry News
CapRock, Paradigm Form Government X-band, Network Services Partnership
CapRock Government Solutions has formed a partnership with Paradigm to provide X-band services to government customers ...More»
TS2 Unveils Military Broadband Service in the Middle East
TS2 Satellite Technologies has introduced a new satellite link product line to be used by companies operating in the Middle East and Asia as well as by soldiers that are stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan ...More»
Lockheed Martin Hits SBIRS GEO Testing Milestones
The second Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) geosynchronous orbit (GEO-2) spacecraft is progressing through a series of tests that will demonstrate the integrated satellite's readiness to enter the critical environmental test phase in preparation for launch ...More»
Tecore Enhances Military Mobile Communications Platform to Support LTE Upgrades
Tecore Networks, a global supplier 2G, 3G and 4G mobile network infrastructure, has upgraded its Military Secured Rapid Deployment System (MilSec-RDS), a multi-technology voice and data communications platform built for use by the armed forces ...More»
Boeing Completes GPS 2F Satellite Ground Tests
Boeing has completed ground tests on the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) 2F satellite, which concluded that the satellite is on track ...More»
Back to Top »
Industry Focus
Intelsat General Vice President: Military, Commercial Relationship Has Developed
Intelsat General has been proactive in opening a line of communication with the military to better understand their needs in order to efficiently deliver solutions. Rarely has the company missed an opportunity to make its presence known at the center of commercial and military partnerships. ...More»
Back to Top »
 Executive Q&A
Bill Schmidt, Xtar Vice President of Government Services
For both commercial satellite providers and their potential U.S. military customers, the process of meeting the needs of the modern warfighter through commercial networks has produced a long, frustrating and repetitive conversation. Xtar's Bill Schmidt discusses how that conversation has progressed this year ...More»
Back to Top »
Contracts
KVH Receives $2 Million in U.S. Military Navigation System Orders
KVH Industries has received a total of $2 million in new orders from multiple U.S government customers ...More»
Northrop Grumman Receives GPS-Free Navigation System Contract Extension
The U.S. Department of Defense extended its contract with Northrop Grumman to further demonstrate a GPS-free inertial navigation system through September 2010...More»
ViaSat Wins $9.4 Million Contract to Build Australian Military Ground Stations
BAE Systems Australia has contracted ViaSat to provide satellite ground stations for a high-speed upgrade to Australian Defense Force (ADF) satellite communications for $9.4 million...More»
Rockwell Collins to Provide Satcom Terminals to Dutch Defense
Rockwell Collins signed a deal with the Dutch Ministry of Defense to provide Swe-Dish satcom terminals ...More»
Orbit Signs $3 Million Israeli Defense Deal
Orbit Technologies signed a $3 million deal with two Israeli defense companies to supply a range of tracking solutions over the coming year ...More»
Back to Top »
|
