Inmarsat, a leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, has launched its L-Tac service on-the-move.

The company successfully demonstrated the ability of the service to receive communication in vehicles travelling at speeds up to 112 kph.

The service will provide approved government customers with a low cost Tactical UHF Satellite (Tacsat) capability solution, which allows soldiers on foot or in vehicles to communicate on-the-move, using their existing UHF tactical radios.

The latest offering is the next step in the expansion of mobile Beyond-Line-of-Sight (BLOS) communications provided by the innovative technology behind its L-band satellites, said a statement.

The L-band service uses smaller antennas than the UHF equivalent, making it practical to offer compact, inexpensive omni-directional antennas for mounted and dismounted use, it said.

Andy Start, president, said: ““We have successfully demonstrated L-Tac communications from vehicles at speeds up to 112 kph [70 mph].  This will have huge military utility, for example coordinating logistic convoys moving over long distances or for command and control of widely dispersed vehicle patrols manoeuvring in difficult terrain.”  

“Convoys and patrols won’t have to pause while using their Tacsat, and that means improved tempo and less time spent vulnerable to attack,” he said.

Inmarsat has partnered with UK-based Spectra to develop the Slingshot system, which comprises a power supply, frequency convertor and antenna.  Slingshot works with existing tactical military radios and requires minimal additional training to provide BLOS communications without the need for supplementary infrastructure or additional gear. Combined with the L-Tac leased service, it is designed to meet security and reliability requirements, said the statement.

Users will be able to lease the service for periods as short as one month in either narrow spot beams, larger regional beams or beams customised to meet their area of operations, it said. - TradeArabia News Service