General Information
Satellite communications (SATCOM) systems have been used since 1967 to provide vital communications service to United States forces throughout the world. SATCOM has advantages which are not found in other systems:SATCOM can provide reliable service without gaps in range or need for more than one ground relay station.
The SATCOM site does not have to be situated on high terrain or within LOS of the distant terminal.
SATCOM can provide thousands of voice and data channels originating at many ground terminals simultaneously.
SATCOM is multinodal. The ground station can transmit and receive numerous RF carriers simultaneously. Each carrier may be independent in source and in distribution from other carriers.
Set-up time for a new terminal, tactical or contingency, is very fast. Often, within one-half of an hour of arrival at a site, the terminal will be fully operational and communicating.
SATCOM consists of ground terminals and of one or more satellites. The satellite acts essentially as a repeater in the sky. It employs a transponder which receives, amplifies, and retransmits communications signals. Although a single ground terminal can only communicate with one satellite at a time, it normally has the capability to change from one satellite to another as required. The Army is currently involved in two major SATCOM programs:
The Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) program will provide global, strategic, multichannel communications to support the DCS.
The Ground Mobile Forces (GMF) program which is designed to provide single-channel and multichannel communications for combat forces within a theater Army.
The chapter also discusses satellites and ground terminals currently in use or being developed to support the two programs discussed above.
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