Boeing has confirmed the capability of its new anti-jamming communications technology to operate as either a ground-based user terminal or satellite-based networking hub, during testing at an undisclosed location.
Carried out under contract with the US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, the test featured a Boeing ground terminal using a programmable modem. It has been designed and developed by ViaSat using one of its commercial off-the-shelf platforms and a ground terminal designed and built by Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Lincoln Laboratory.
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The trial was supervised by the US Government and confirmed that the modem addresses technical interface specifications, while successfully transmitting information to and from the ground user terminal.
Boeing Government Satellite Systems vice-president Dan Hart said: "We’ve confirmed this technology can be applied quickly and affordably to existing assets, especially operational WGS satellites and ground terminals.
"With threats to secure communications becoming increasingly frequent and sophisticated, providing this enhanced capability to warfighters on the ground is critical."
The demonstration complements previous on-orbit demonstrations over ViaSat-1 and the sixth Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS-6) satellites, which highlighted the ability to operate anti-jam waveforms over existing commercial and military spacecraft.
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By GlobalDataThe anti-jam technology uses a protected tactical waveform that shields signals from interference by adversaries or cyber-terrorists.
In particular, the technology is claimed to be capable of enhancing soldier’s ability to send and receive secure communications without enemy data interference, by using existing terminals and satellites lacking their own anti-jamming technology.
Boeing WGS programme director Mark Spiwak was quoted earlier by SpaceNews as saying that the technology can provide signal protection comparable to that provided by the USAF’s advanced extremely high frequency communication satellite.
