EMS Technologies Announces Low-Profile, Tactical, SATCOM RF Systems
Fort Lauderdale, FL -- EMS Technologies, Inc. Defense & Space Systems Division, will unveil new SATCOM antenna products this week at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Institute of Land Warfare's 2008 Winter Symposium and Exposition, which starts today in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
On display will be EMS's low-profile tactical and SATCOM RF systems in the emerging net-centric warfare communications-on-the-move market. EMS's high-performance, low-profile systems enable the military to continue its push toward total asset connectivity in-theater for sensor-toshooterasymmetric warfare.
In Satcom on-the-move applications, EMS is rolling out two new SATCOM products for airborne and ground mobile on-the-move applications. The first is a Ku two-way SATCOM antenna system for high-data-rate communications with commercial Ku satellites. As announced last month, EMS is developing the product for the U.S. market in cooperation with Starling Advanced Communications of Israel.
"The military currently utilizes Ku commercial satellites for much of its communications needs, and with the possible delay of TSAT the trend is expected to continue," says David Smith, vice president and general manager of EMS D&SS.
The second EMS antenna product is an X-band, two-way SATCOM antenna system, which is also designed for airborne and ground on-the-move applications. With the launch of the U.S. WGS satellite and European Skynet 5 satellites, military and commercial X-band capability exists around the globe.
"EMS has completed phase one of its internal research and development project to develop a lowprofile X-band antenna system. The product will soon be available for demonstration," says Smith.
EMS is proceeding with development work on the B-2 AEHF program. The EMS antenna system will allow the B-2 bomber to connect easily to the U.S. Department of Defense as the military transitions from Milstar satellites to the new Advanced EHF satellite network. EMS's small antenna aperture for the Windmill International GBS Man-Portable Receive Suite continues to be evaluated by the military. It is the smallest receive suite available for mobile fighting forces. When fielded, it weighs less than 40 pounds, and is 85 percent lighter than the government's current GBS system. EMS also continues its production and accumulation of flight time with its DirectTV Receive Suite for commercial airborne applications.
In tactical CDL communications, EMS D&SS has won its second airborne CDL contract, following its recent win of the Navy's Hawklink MH-60 Helicopter CDL antenna system. "These two airborne CDL wins demonstrate the value of our low-profile, high-performance, lightweight systems," says Mike Fatig, vice president of Business Development with EMS D&SS. "Furthermore, EMS has flight-demonstrated for the Navy our multi-channel CDL relay system designed for high-flying, persistent-surveillance platforms to provide beyond-line-of-sight CDL. We also have demonstrated a small air-to-ground link for UAV applications with a strategic customer."
In ground and air mobile mesh network communications, EMS's unique Ku switched-beam antenna is being integrated and tested for a significant Army program, the details of which will be announced later. EMS also has made delivery of another longer-range version of the antenna.
In specialized air-to-air communications, EMS continues its production run of the F-22 Intra-Flight Data Link antenna system, which has performed beyond expectations and has achieved all lot cost-reduction challenges.
EMS D&SS executives will be available on Feb. 27 and 28 for one-on-one briefings with media and military customers. Visit EMS at Booth #801 at the Ft. Lauderdale Convention Center to learn more about EMS COTM solutions.
SOURCE: EMS Technologies, Inc.