ViaSat Inc., the maker of innovative satellite and other digital communication products that enable fast, secure, and efficient communications to any location, recently announced the completion of its operational testing of an airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) satcom system that is providing transmission of four Mbps through a high-speed return link off the aircraft. ViaSat (News - Alert) used its ArcLight satellite system to conduct test during live missions on a U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) C-130 aircraft operating in Afghanistan.

USSOCOM is continuing to fly daily missions using the new system. A simple modem has been replaced on the aircraft, which was already equipped with a previous generation ArcLight modem and ViaSat VR-12 11.5-inch Ku-band antenna. With the use of same antenna, the link achieved data rates of 4 Mbps, transmitting full motion video from the aircraft to a hub also located in Afghanistan. The new modem installed on the aircraft has operated at up to 10 Mbps at Ka-band using the Ka-band version of the VR-12 antenna. However, live mission flights typically operate at 2.5 Mbps air to ground in order to match video encoders already on the aircraft.

“The KuSS system with the new ArcLight modem far exceeded our expectations and sets a new standard for airborne satcom, especially for those platforms that can accommodate only very small antennas in the 12-inch class,” said Jim Herren of USSOCOM, in a press release. “We are flying live missions at the maximum capability of our video equipment and delivering very high quality 720 x 480 standard definition (near HD) full motion video from the aircraft.”

“Besides the obvious advantage of the higher data rates, the ease of modifying the more than 200 aircraft already equipped with ArcLight is a major advantage,” said Larry Taylor, director of business development at ViaSat who was also present during the testing. “The new modem retains the full functionality of the ArcLight system and adds a new mode that provides much higher data rates. That compatibility also enables customers to use our worldwide Yonder network, as well as roam among various government-specific ArcLight networks.”

Rahul Arora is a TMCnet contributor. He has worked as an editor and freelance writer for several reputed organizations in India. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Jaclyn Allard