General Dynamics to Provide Ku-Band Satellite On-the-Move Antenna System to the U.S. Army

NEWTON, N.C. – General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies has been awarded an order under the World Wide Satellite Services contract to provide Ku-band on-the-move satellite communications terminals to the U.S. Army. Under this order, General Dynamics will provide a single Warrior Model 20-20 Satcom-on-the-Move™ (SOTM) antenna system for verification and testing, with additional purchases to follow successful tests. The total potential value of the award if all options are exercised is $28 million over three years.

The General Dynamics-designed and -manufactured equipment transmits and receives data at speeds up to 1.54 Mbps in Ku-band, giving unit commanders robust satellite communications in moving vehicles, providing unequaled mobile access to a broad spectrum of information services including video, data and imagery. The terminals track satellites very accurately using a combination of integral satellite-beacon receivers, gyro stabilization and inertial measurement units.

“Reliable, easy-to-deploy communications products are vital to supporting tactical missions,” said Gary Kanipe, vice president of General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies. “General Dynamics is the original equipment manufacturer for the VertexRSI® antennas and electronic products that comprise these terminals, ensuring a high-quality, reliable SATCOM-on-the-move communications solution for our customers.”

The contract was awarded through PM Warfighter Information Network-Tactical under the contracting authority of the Communications and Electronics Command, Ft. Monmouth, N.J.

The Warrior Model 20-20 SOTM system includes a 20-inch diameter antenna, antenna controller, servo system, inertial reference unit, radome, power amplifier, Low Noise Amplifier (LNA), up/down converters and ancillary equipment. The SOTM antenna system will be installed on High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV), Bradley Fighting Vehicles or Stryker Infantry Combat Vehicles.

The World Wide Satellite Systems (WWSS) five-year, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity procurement program is jointly managed by the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical and Defense Communications and Army Transmission System Program Manager Offices. The WWSS program is intended to provide communications systems that are capable of overcoming existing and projected bandwidth constraints for Department of Defense transformation programs worldwide, and will support all federal communications missions, including disaster relief and homeland security efforts.