INDUSTRY INTERVIEW: TeleCommunication Systems
Q: Can you describe how the government utilizes satellite communications technology in situations that require a rapid turnaround?
A: The government has relied on satellite communications in crisis situations worldwide from September 11 and Hurricane Katrina to Afghanistan and Iraq. The U.S. military used satellite technology to rapidly establish a secure communications infrastructure in Iraq, where it had been destroyed after the 2003 invasion. TCS supplies very small aperture terminals, also known as VSAT, and related network equipment that is literally the communications lifeline for our military. It can be set up in less than 30 minutes without experts, and even fits into small vehicles.
TCS has VSAT networks throughout the Middle East. They provide Internet access, VoIP calls and video teleconferencing capability for our soldiers to communicate with their families. These VSAT networks have proven critical in boosting the morale and welfare of our deployed soldiers. TCS also has a SwiftLink satellite communications kit that fits into a briefcase, or the overhead bin of an airplane. We make small to very large deployable terminals that can support all sorts of missions. For example, our MiTT [military transition teams] systems are responsible for training and advising the Iraqi Army. The MiTT systems are a key component in our strategy to ending the war in Iraq.
Q: How would you say satellite technology has changed in the past five years?
A: The single largest advance has been in satellite bandwidth efficiency: We now provide much more bang for the buck, in the form of more bandwidth for less cost. This has been made possible by a couple of factors— the first being advancements in the spacecraft itself, which has benefited from better fuel technology that has given it longer life spans. Secondly, due to more efficient power management, new frequency spectrums, spot beams and acceleration technology, data throughput rates have significantly improved.
Also, due to advances in channel and carrier management methodologies, multiple customers can now share the same bandwidth without a commensurate reduction in services. Progress has been made down here on earth as well, with vastly improved satellite terminals that are now smaller, cheaper, faster and even more reliable from a power and performance standpoint. More importantly, these terminals are much easier to use with auto-acquisition and tracking capabilities, and GUI interfaces that make them as simple to use as a cell phone.
Q: How do federal requirements compare to commercial?
A: They differ in several respects. At the outset, it is no secret that implementing and supporting federal communications networks is a far more complex task than on the commercial side. Encryption requirements mandated by the Department of Defense require more sophisticated integration engineering, which introduces latency in the network—which in turn necessitates the introduction of external acceleration methods to overcome this latency. The federal government also requires very rigorous information assurance mandates that you have to prove are being met, including through extensive documentation.
In the 90s, DoD introduced its cost-saving COTS requirement in federal contracts. So while products had to be developed using COTS equipment, they still had to meet various MIL standards for operating in all sorts of severe conditions such as extreme cold and heat, humidity, rain, fog, shock and vibration. To support the war effort, DoD increasingly demands systems that are compact, light and portable, so that they can be transported and deployed easily and rapidly including in remote and dangerous locations. Finally, federal requirements differ substantially on the procurement side; acquisition times can be lengthy and challenging.
Q: You mentioned Katrina earlier; how does a company like TCS respond in an emergency like that?
A: In the immediate aftermath of Katrina, we got calls from multiple federal and military agencies for satellite terminals, bandwidth capacity and field support. We immediately took stock of the deployable terminals that we had in inventory and simultaneously talked to our suppliers to see what could be done to accelerate production. Fortunately, we have pre-positioned satellite bandwidth in place in several places across the globe for immediate access. So we made available all unallocated bandwidth from our Manassas Teleport and even talked to our customers to spare their noncritical bandwidth for the effort. We deployed support staff, including some of our most senior engineers. We got commercial airlines to transport our SwiftLink communications suites and even rented vehicles to drive to the disaster zones. I am proud to mention that our equipment was the first on the ground at Lieutenant General Russel L. Honore’s portable command center. ♦
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