Insight | The UAS SATCOM Ecosystem: Responsive service integration
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In prior blogs in this series, we discussed key attributes of our Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) satellite communications (SATCOM) ecosystem – including worldwide coverage and Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) optimized user terminals (“hardware that fits”). Singled out as individual components, it is simple enough to summarize each one in a blog post. But when you try to bring them all together? This is when you discover that they are complex pieces that require a cross-functional team of UAS platform engineers, SATCOM experts, hardware providers and end users to integrate, assess tradeoffs and set priorities.
Today’s lack of UAS industry platform standardization inevitably means that things do not quite fit, or tradeoffs need to be examined. Establishing a critical touchstone, our integration team of experienced SATCOM engineers brings together hardware manufacturers and network engineers to further refine a hardware suite, link budget or backhaul strategy to meet your SWaP, mission and budget requirements.
Every UAS program we support is unique. Our in-house and partner teams of SATCOM engineers pull from decades of experience. They have worked on major U.S. government UAS programs and have gained in-depth expertise in UAS theater operations, acquisition commands, hardware development, network management and program management roles. To borrow from the famous insurance ad slogan, they know a thing or two because they’ve seen a thing or two. They ensure each integration results in an end-to-end solution that meets customers’ specific needs. Inmarsat Government has developed a set of modular terminal building blocks that enables rapid low-cost terminal to platform integration.
To illustrate, we will talk about a real example of a responsive service integration that required a globally portable, high-throughput low-SWaP terminal with high-rate return while maintaining platform range. The Inmarsat Government-led team of engineers configured L-band Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (LAISR) hardware with return link speeds up to 3.7 Mbps throughout the complete coverage area of Inmarsat’s ELERA global network. All traffic now passes through Inmarsat Satellite Access Stations (SAS) and is backhauled via Inmarsat Government’s secure Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network to the customer’s specific destination. Terminal modularity, SWaP reductions, combined with high data-rate throughput, enables Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) ISR missions range with enhanced mission reach.
In the next blog in this series, we will discuss how you can acquire our UAS SATCOM solutions via flexible service plans that scale and port to fit your budget and mission.
We look forward to talking about how we can best serve your needs, so do not hesitate to contact us today.
Tom Costello is Chief Commercial Officer of Inmarsat Government Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Inmarsat Group Holdings Limited, and the world’s leading provider of global mobile satellite communications to the United States government.
Tom oversees the commercial strategy and operations for Inmarsat’s satellite communication services and solutions offered to the U.S. government market sector. This includes pricing, market development, marketing, channel management, market requirements and sales operations.
Mr. Costello has over 25 years of experience in business development, channel management and product management. Prior to joining Inmarsat Government, Mr. Costello served as Vice President Market Development for Inmarsat. Prior to that he held various leadership and management positions for Stratos, Iridium and the White House Communication Agency.
Mr. Costello earned his BS in Computer Science from the St. Norbert College.
