X-band for airborne ISR - Secure Communications

Satellite Communications

X-band for airborne ISR

Best in class, military hardened satellite communications

Airborne ISR applications are becoming crucial for supporting a wide range of critical military operations, due to increased pressures on improving situational awareness for military personnel protection. The availability of airframes able to accommodate large sensor payloads means that much high rate ISR is conducted with manned aircraft, but the number and diversity of UAVs available and the technology they use, is evolving at a fast pace. The demand for High Definition Full Motion Video (HD FMV) from these platforms is driving demands for satellite bandwidth when these aircraft operate below line of sight of the ground operations.

X-band is now being considered to meet the demand for higher resolution imagery from the airborne platforms, as it is the natural frequency of choice for military satellite communications requirements and is less contended than commercial Ku and C-band. X-band is also known for its lack of interference due to a lower number of satellites, increasing separation, making the frequency ideal for small terminals onboard COTM and airborne applications without the use of inefficient spreading factors.

Historically Ku-band has been predominantly used for COTM and airborne applications due to its high throughput from small terminals, but today this band is highly congested and risks interference.

Ka-band offers similar set power/weight ratio to Ku but this is not yet readily available and suffers from significant rain fade compared to X-band.

Key Benefits

? Best frequency for high throughput for HD FMV and resilience to rain fade simultaneously

? Lack of interference compared to commercial bands

? Availability of capacity over areas of operation

Case Study

Since mid 2010, Airbus Defence and Space has supported testing on multiple X-band airborne ISR platforms, from shared/private SCPC/TDMA networks through to large scale, bespoke ISR mission support services.

Over Skynet, Airbus Defence and Space has proven data rates in excess of 14Mbps using DVB-S2 ACM SCPC links, with bespoke coverage providing high gain spot beams tailored to the mission area, enabling multi-aircraft, high criticality ISR missions to be carried out securely over resilient milsatcom satellites.

For smaller scale missions, Airbus Defence and Space has also provided up to 2Mbps in support of real-time full motion video (FMV) in SCPC and TDMA networks from airborne platforms using existing coverage in major conflict and peacekeeping areas.

Skynet 5 certification has already been achieved for a selection of small, airborne X-band terminals, where terminal certification can be compressed to a matter of a few months.

Airbus Defence and Space X-band coverage extends from 178 ?W to 135?E.

Airbus Defence and Space Stage 1 Gunnels Wood Road Stevenage Hertfordshire SG1 2AS United Kingdom P +44 (0)1438 313456 F +44 (0)1438 773637 E contact.gcuk@astrium.



Airbus Defence and Space, a subsidiary of Airbus Group, is the world's first commercial provider of military band satellite communications and the only provider of end-to-end, hardened and protected satellite services, using X-band and UHF frequencies.

9355tl ? Mar 2014. All rights reserved.

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