Vertical Markets

VHF version

by Mark Rowe

At the Global MilSatCom event, the communications satellite company Inmarsat and Spectra Group launched the SlingShot VHF version of the L-band Tactical Satellite (L-TAC) service.

Peter Dingley, VP Offer Development, Inmarsat Global Government and Simon Davies, CEO of Spectra described the product as the solution that allows cross communication between government agencies.

The two companies developed the L-TAC service and the SlingShot system to provide a secure service for users who need access to Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) communications from tactical radios. The VHF device joins the UHF version to provide a secure, multi-platform method of BLOS communications. Single, customised and multi-headed beams ensure military and civilian end users are able to maintain secure communications, where networks either don’t exist or have been destroyed by high intensity conflicts, natural disasters or terrorism, the UK firms say.

SlingShot is able to convert existing radios to satellite-enabled devices. It is described as small, portable and lightweight available as a manpack, vehicle mounted and maritime platform.

Simon Davies said: “Our aim was to build an easy to use, affordable and reliable system that allowed military and government end users to maintain real-time BLOS communications in all situations and locations whilst using in-service radios with national, multi-national and inter-departmental cryptographic security. By working in partnership with Inmarsat to develop the L-band service and ensuring that the SlingShot appliqué meets the demanding environments in which today’s high tempo, geographically dispersed operations take place, I believe we have achieved our aim. And with each new development we continue to seek new and innovative ways to maintain secure reliable communications wherever and whenever in the world.”

Peter Dingley added: “There was a market need to solve the bottleneck of limited UHF space capacity, which we have responded to by working closely with Spectra. Acutely aware of budget constraints our users are increasingly facing, we are providing access to the capability via a small low-cost appliqué unit, allowing existing radios to be used. The L-TAC service has attracted strong market interest and is already in active service with several major government users. The addition of VHF converters will allow a broader user base to benefit from this service than ever before.”

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