Back to news

October 16, 2020 | International, C4ISR

Army tactical network office wants industry info on SATCOM as a service

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army's tactical network modernization office released a request for information Wednesday for commercial satellite communications as a service.

The RFI, released by Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical, will give the Army tactical network team an improved understanding of existing industry best practices, technological advancements and innovative business models for commercially managed satellites that could replace the operating design of its logistics network, known as the sustainment tactical network.

“We are looking to our industry partners to provide us with inventive approaches to meet our logistics transport capabilities needs,” said Col. Shane Taylor, the Army's project manager for Tactical Network (PM TN), in a press release. “This includes both end item material solutions, as well as what corresponding leasing cost models could look like to enable the Army to maximize capabilities while balancing long-term affordability.”

Commercially managed SATCOM would be an improvement over the standard SATCOM capabilities because currently the Army must purchase all the hardware, software, maintenance and sustainment needs, along with other related capabilities, on independent, standalone contracts, the press release said. With SATCOM as a service, the PEO C3T will procure all the capabilities under a single contract, paying for each leased Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) ground satellite terminal.

"We want to deliver the right STN SATCOM capability at the right price, while keeping current with technology and ahead of obsolescence,” said Lt. Col. Natashia Coleman, product lead for Unified Network Capabilities and Integration. “To do that we need to better understand how and what industry can provide, what their different managed services models would look like, how they could each best support our hardware and support services requirements, and then compare that to the more traditional way we are providing the capability now and determine which would work best.

“Whatever the outcome, taking the time upfront to review all of the options will enable us to deliver the best solution for the Army,” she added.

According to Paul Mehney, communications director for PEO C3T, the program office expects industry to demonstrate their SATCOM as a service capabilities for engineer and operational assessment. Mehney said that the office will consider the companies' ability to provide and maintain terminals, obtain host nation agreements for use of bandwidth, provide a help desk to address network access issues, and technical support to users and VSAT systems.

Mehney also said that the logistics network modernization efforts aligns with increased capacity, resiliency and convergence goals of Capability Set '23, the next iteration of new network tools set to be delivered in fiscal 2023.

“We are looking to incorporate STN design goals as part of CS23 and beyond; providing initial STN elements for CS23 (such as modernized VSAT and Local Transport capabilities) to support CS priorities over time,” Mehney said.

Responses are due Nov. 6.

https://www.c4isrnet.com/show-reporter/ausa/2020/10/14/army-tactical-network-office-released-rfi-for-satcom-as-a-service/

On the same subject

  • BAE successfully tests ground-launched APKWS rockets for first time

    June 2, 2020 | International, Land

    BAE successfully tests ground-launched APKWS rockets for first time

    By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — BAE Systems has completed a successful ground-to-ground test of its Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System rocket for the first time, the company announced Monday. The test, conducted at the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, involved “several successful shots” of the APKWS rockets out of a launcher, built specifically for ground vehicles by Arnold Defense, according to BAE. The weapon has traditionally been launched from rotary or fixed-wing aircraft. A ground-based APKWS, delivered via the Arnold Fletcher launcher, was first unveiled in 2018. “Demand is growing for ground-to-ground precision munitions that provide a safe standoff distance for small ground units,” Greg Procopio, director of precision guidance and sensing solutions at BAE Systems, said in a statement. “We're working closely with our customer and partners to deliver that capability.” The APKWS laser-guided rocket is used by the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. The Navy holds the program of record. The rockets have also spread via foreign military sales to more than a dozen foreign nations. However, the U.S. Army decided to end procurement of the rockets as a result of its “night court” budget review. In its fiscal 2021 budget request, the service said it redirected $122 million in funding from the rockets toward higher priorities. Even before the Army's decision was official, BAE was working to increase the flexibility of APKWS as a low-cost, precision-strike option. Late last year, the Air Force successfully tested it for missile defense, and the ground-to-ground version would add to the military options for the weapon. The company delivered more than 35,000 APKWS units by the end of 2019 and expects to deliver 18,000 in 2020. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/06/01/bae-successfully-tests-ground-launched-apkws-rockets-for-first-time/

  • Lockheed bests General Dynamics for Army long-range jammer contract

    June 27, 2023 | International, C4ISR

    Lockheed bests General Dynamics for Army long-range jammer contract

    Under the new arrangement, Lockheed will build a prototype of the Terrestrial Layer System-Echelons Above Brigade at its facility in Syracuse, New York.

  • Israel, South Korea to co-operate on unmanned airborne ISTAR

    March 16, 2021 | International, Aerospace

    Israel, South Korea to co-operate on unmanned airborne ISTAR

    Israel and South Korea are to co-operate in the field of unmanned airborne intelligence, surveillance, targeting and reconnaissance (ISTAR), with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on 15 March. Showcased at ADEX 2017, KAI's stealth U...

All news