MSM DEC 2013 cover SATCOM For Net-Centric Warfare December 2013 MilsatMagazine YEARYEAR ININ REVIEW—2013REVIEW—2013 MilsatMagazineDecember 2013 Publishing Operations Senior Contributors Silvano Payne, Publisher + Writer Mike Antonovich, ATEME Hartley G. Lesser, Editorial Director Bert Sadtler, Boxwood Executive Search Pattie Waldt, Executive Editor Richard Dutchik Jill Durfee, Sales Director, Editorial Assistant Tony Bardo, Hughes Simon Payne, Development Director Chris Forrester, Broadgate Publications Donald McGee, Production Manager Karl Fuchs, iDirect Government Services Dan Makinster, Technical Advisor Bob Gough, Carrick Communications Jos Heyman, TIROS Space Information David Leichner, Gilat Satellite Networks This Issue’s Authors Giles Peeters, Track24 Defence Mark A Baird, Colonel, USAF Ian Canning Hartley Lesser Jose Lujano, III, Corporal, USMC Michael Mantz Rafael Martie, Petty Officer, 1st Class, USN Susan Miller Elliot Holokauahi Pulham John Ratigan Scott Scheimreif Pattie Waldt Amy Walker Published 11 times a year by SatNews Publishers 800 Siesta Way Sonoma, CA 95476 USA Phone: (707) 939-9306 Fax: (707) 838-9235 © 2013 SatNews Publishers We reserve the right to edit all submitted materials to meet our content guidelines, as well as for grammar or to move articles to an alternative issue to accommodate publication space requirements, or Cover and Table of masthead Image... removed due to space restrictions. Submission of content does not Staff Sgt. Shelby Johnson, a squad leader with the 4th Brigade constitute acceptance of said material by SatNews Publishers. Edited Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), observes the materials may, or may not, be returned to author and/or company area around Forward Operating Base Torkham, Afghanistan, while for review prior to publication. The views expressed in SatNews wearing the new Capability Set 13 communications suite. Before Publishers’ various publications do not necessarily reflect the views it was delivered to Afghanistan, Capability Set 13 was integrated or opinions of SatNews Publishers. All rights reserved. All included and validated through the Army’s Network Integration Evaluation imagery is courtesy of, and copyright to, the respective companies process, which is now adapting to drive continued innovation for a and/or named individuals. service in transition. Original photo courtesy of U.S. Army. 4 MilsatMagazine—December 2013 MilsatMagazineDecember 2013 Dispatches Advertiser Index ULA, NRO + NASA—Secret Sat + Cold Cubes Launch From Frigid California, 8 Advantech Wireless, 21 USAF SMC—Taking WGS-5 To Full OPS, 10 ANTCOM Corporation, 3 ViaSat—Building Block Upgrades, 10 AvL Technologies, 23 Harris—Chatting With MUOS, 10 Comtech EF Data, 19 U.S. Southern Command—First Step Toward Lower Cost For Space Comms, 11 Comtech Xicom Technology, Inc., 7 USAF 45th Space Wing—Working Wonders For SES-8, 12 CPI Satcom Products, 15 USAF Sings Praises Of CHIRP’s Accomplishments, 12 FINISAR, 17 Proteus FZC—An In-Depth Look @ Corsica, 13 Harris Corporation, cover + 9 IBETOR S.I.—Extreme Driving Conditions Are No Deterrent, 14 iDirect Government (iGT), 11 CJTF-HOIA—Kenyan Defense Forces Obtain Weather System, 14 L-3 GCS, 5 China + Brazil—Awry, 14 Newtec CY, 13 Prioria Robotics—Company Level Tactical Asset, 15 Northrop Grumman Space, 2 GVF—Unprecedented SATCOM Efforts For Philippines, 16 SatNews Publishers Digital Editions, 44 U.S. Army + DoD—Increasing Pacific Military Satellite Access, 18 Teledyne Paradise Datacom, 35 Lockheed Martin + U.S. Navy—It’s A Hand-Off, 19 International Launch Services + Inmarsat—Launch Is A Breeze, 20 USMC—Ensuring Safety During Operation Damayan, 22 Northrop Grumman + NATO—The First Global Hawks Now In Production, 22 Air Force SMC—A Great Deal Of SENSE, 23 Features Still The Most Amazing Industry In The World, 24 By Elliot H. Pulham, Space Foundation The Challenges Of North Pole Communications, 28 By Michael Mantz, Northrop Grumman Information Systems Maintaining + Taking Space Situational Awareness To The Next Level, 30 By Colonel Mark A. Baird, USAF YEAR IN REVIEW INDEX, 36 iDirect Government Technologies, 37 By John Ratigan, President Inmarsat Government, 38 By Susan Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer Iridium, 39 By Scott Scheimreif, Executive Vice President, Government Division TrustComm, Inc., 40 By Ian Canning, Chief Operating Officer Vislink, 41 By Ali Zarkesh, Business Development Director XTAR, 42 By Andrew Ruszkowski, Vice President, Global Sales + Marketing 6 MilsatMagazine—December 2013 Dispatches Year In Review 2013 ULA, NRO + NASA—Secret Sat + Cold Cubes Launch From Frigid California A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) lifted off from Space Launch Complex-3 on December 5th at 11:14 p.m. PST. Designated NROL-39, the mission is in support of national defense. Photo is courtesy of ULA / Pat Corkery. A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Developed by he United States Air The five NASA-sponsored CubeSats commercially available components,” Atlas V rocket carrying a payload Force to provide assured access to were developed by Montana State said Sponnick. for the National Reconnaissance space for Department of Defense University, California Polytechnic State Office (NRO) lifted off from Space and other government payloads, University, the University of Michigan, ULA program management, Launch Complex-3 on December 5th the commercially developed EELV and Medgar Evers College of the City engineering, test, and mission at 11:14 p.m. PST. program supports the full range of University of New York. support functions are headquartered government mission requirements in Denver, Colorado. Manufacturing, Designated NROL-39, the mission is while delivering on schedule and “We are pleased we could support assembly and integration operations in support of national defense. providing significant cost savings over the NRO, NASA, and all of the are located at Decatur, Alabama, and the heritage launch systems. associated institutions by successfully Harlingen, Texas. Launch operations “Today’s successful launch of the delivering these important auxiliary are located at Cape Canaveral AFS, NROL-39 mission is a testament to In addition to the NROL-39 payload, payloads which will test and Florida, and Vandenberg AFB, the tremendous government-industry the Government Experimental Multi- validate new technologies for California. For more information on partnership. We greatly appreciate Satellite (GEMSat), consisting of 12 debris mitigation, propulsion, space ULA, visit the ULA website at. the teamwork with the NRO Office of CubeSats, took advantage of the Atlas weather, communications, on-orbit Space Launch and our many mission V launch vehicle ride share capabilities data processing and the use of partners,” said Jim Sponnick, ULA vice and were deployed following president, Atlas and Delta Programs. completion of the primary mission. “We are honored to be entrusted to launch these one-of-a-kind national The NRO and ULA partnered to assets to orbit to protect our national develop an Aft Bulkhead Carrier security and to support the many (ABC) on the Centaur upper brave men and women serving around stage, which is a platform for the world.” accommodating auxiliary payloads aboard Atlas V missions. This mission was launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V The CubeSats were developed Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle under a sponsorship of the NRO and 501 configuration vehicle, which NASA. The Aerospace Corporation, includes a 5-meter diameter payload the Air Force Institute of Technology fairing. The Atlas booster for this and the Army developed the seven mission was powered by the RD NRO-sponsored CubeSats. AMROSS RD-180 engine and the Centaur upper stage was powered by a single Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10A-4 engine. 8 MilsatMagazine—December 2013 Dispatches Year In Review 2013 USAF SMC—Taking WGS-5 To Full OPS WGS provides flexible, high- capacity communications for marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen throughout the world. WGS is a key enabler of Command and Control, Communications Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, as well as battle management and combat support information functions. WGS-5 is the fifth of ten planned satellites in the wideband constellation and was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, May 24, 2013. WGS-5 is at its operational orbit location providing coverage over the Atlantic Ocean for the European theater and full coverage of the CONUS for the first time. Artistic rendition of the WGS Block II satellite in orbit. “I am proud of the tremendous Image is courtesy of Boeing. dedication and commitment of the Military Satellite Communications Wideband Division as we field this The Space and Missile Systems critical communication capability,” Center recommended to HQ Air said Ms. Charlotte M. Gerhart, chief Force Space Command the release of the Wideband Global SATCOM of WGS-5 communications satellite Division. “The success of WGS-5 is to the operational constellation. a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Wideband This significant achievement reflects SATCOM team.” the successful collaboration between numerous organizations including the Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command, Army Space and Missile Defense Command /Army Forces Strategic Command, and the Boeing Company. ViaSat—Building Block Upgrades Harris—Chatting With MUOS Harris Corporation’s Falcon III® AN/ The high