Rebecca Cowen-Hirsch, Inmarsat U.S. Government SVP Government Strategy and Policy, outlines the challenges the Department of Defense (DoD) is facing to ensure U.S. forces are equipped with the critical SATCOM services necessary for today’s evolving landscape, in Signal Magazine.
The article entitled A new path to meet the satellite needs of servicemen and women, looks at how the DoD has reached a crossroad in satellite communications (SATCOM) acquisition and deployment, where they are currently transitioning SATCOM from narrowband to wideband in order to keep up with voice, video and data consumption.
However, the budget forecast for the foreseeable future does not cover the replacement or addition of military satellite communications (MILSATCOM) systems – except for those within existing programs of record.
To add to the challenge, MILSATCOM capacity is insufficient, and the SATCOM acquisition model has become too fragmented and dysfunctional to satisfy current demands. In an age of globalized, asymmetrical warfare, U.S. forces require the best capacity, reliability and capabilities.
To address this evolving landscape, the military’s top commanders are rallying around proposals for a partnership with commercial SATCOM (COMSATCOM) providers to pave the way for what we call “SATCOM as a service.” With this capability, servicemen and women can access satellite on-demand with seamless availability of transponders, equipment terminals, backhaul, capacity and features. As General Hyten and other military leaders have expressed, there is a sense of urgency to explore a new “path” for satellite acquisition.
To learn more about the developments over the last ten months that point to this positive, forward movement in SATCOM, visit, read the full article here: www.afcea.org
