Milsatcom: High Throughput Satellites Driving the Evolution

Military communications networks are undergoing significant overhaul in established forces, whilst others are working toward building capabilities on similar lines. Strategic communications (StratCom) is experiencing a shift from Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDNs) to IP-broadband networks. The fundamental need is to have high data throughput while having seamless connectivity.

The increasing use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) has added to this requirement due to the incremental streaming of imagery. Armed forces are looking to have IP-broadband delivered to the tactical terminals, with an aim to integrate tactical and strategic communication networks, underpinning the evolving C4ISR architectures.

Advent of NextGen concepts and architectures such as military Internet of Things (IoT) need robust infrastructure allowing cross-network connectivity. As end-users move toward a more connected reality, the current objectives are focused on connecting the existing sensing systems to enable seamless data-flow.

The operational objectives narrow down to simultaneous voice and data relay across terminals that enhances situational awareness for the frontline warfighters and commanders enabling near real-time decision making. One technology making this possible is High Throughput Satellite (HTS) communications. For the past few years, governments and private operators have launched HTS to meet this growing demand for seamless high data rate connectivity.

The Difference with HTS

The satellite industry has responded to the evolving operational requirements with steerable high intensity spot beams that can provide the connectivity through multiple beams over a region, unlike the traditional large global beam coverage, as well as the inbuilt spectrum reuse technology that is expected to further add to the effectiveness of high throughput capability.

From a bandwidth perspective, HTS systems are exploring migration to Ka band. There are Ku solutions considered comparable to Ka in terms of throughput. However, despite this Ka seems to have a higher uptake. With multiple spot beams, the migration is calling for dedicated ground infrastructure to enable the connectivity. This shift in bandwidths upstream will impact the hardware upgrades throughout the network eventually imposing a large scale hardware spend downstream.

The market size for the Global Milsatcom Applications market (hardware/terminals) is estimated to be $3.05 billion in 2013 and will reach $3.82 billion by 2022, growing by a CAGR of 2.5 percent. Major growth will be seen in the fixed satcom segment (about 33 percent) during the coming decade.

The current market status is level at best owing to defense budget cuts and reduced joint military operations. However, the spending is expected to grow by 2017 around which Milsatcom programs are expected to take shape, driving spending northwards. Since the defense forces are looking to use existing capacities before migrating to new bandwidths, the operational needs will largely cover multi-band satcom hardware with the focus on X, Ku, Ka and C bands. The systems will be required to operate across proprietary and commercial bandwidths. Long term satellite spectrum procurement will gain prominence as spot-buys are considered expensive. The migration to new hardware will begin with increasing in upstream satellite capacity.

The Middle East and Asia Pacific markets are forecast to grow significantly in the next 10 years as force modernization trends are in full flow in these markets. The western defense forces will go through major network wide upgrade, which will drive the Milsatcom spend too. Industry consolidation among suppliers and collaborative efforts from defense forces will result in “pooling and sharing” of resources, especially in the European market.

The Future

Affordable solutions that enable defense forces establish connected military communication networks whilst seamlessly operating with other networks will be the focus of the Milsatcom spending. The HTS systems are getting installed and major global commercial services will be available this year. Multiband satcom terminals and open system architecture will gain prominence in the coming decade, opening opportunities for wide range of suppliers. Overall, the Milsatcom domain is looking to go through a makeover at a global scale. The spending will begin to grow once these new systems achieve operational capabilities that the forces are looking to acquire. VS

Arun Kumar Sampathkumar is a research analyst at Frost & Sullivan specializing in aerospace and defense.