Norsat International snares satcom research, development fund from SADI

The Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative (SADI) has awarded an repayable contribution worth $13.3 million (CAD) to satellite communications company Norsat International Inc.

Norsat will use the contribution to boost its strategic research and development program, allowing the Company to continue developing innovative new or enhanced satcom processes, products, and services for established and new markets. It also gives Norsat the opportunity to collaborate with university researchers and improve channel relationships with the local suppliers of components used in new technologies.

The Company's focus and forte are satellite communications technologies that enable connectivity for commercial, government, and military customers anywhere in the world, even regions that have damaged, insufficient, non-existent, or unreliable communications infrastructure. Norsat satcom solutions can operate in unforgiving environmental or technological conditions.

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Zedi orders new Hughes 9502 BGAN M2M satcom terminals for monitoring solutions

Hughes Network Systems, LLC will be putting its new Hughes 9502 BGAN M2M satellite communications terminal -which has been recently been accredited for operations in hazardous environments with potentially explosive atmospheres- in service with oil and gas technology and services company Zedi Inc.

An Inmarsat partner, Zedi is a leader in the field of oil and gas production operations. The company offers monitoring solutions and utilizes the newest technologies to create reliable connections for remote sites. The company unveiled the first large-scale SCADA network in the world in 2010, which is based on the Inmarsat BGAN network.

Hughes, Inmarsat, and industry customers collaborated in the creation of a new M2M BGAN terminal. The final product was the Hughes 9502 satellite communications terminal. As requested, it is compact, easy-to-use, efficient, cost-effective, and capable of operating in Class 1, Division 2 hazardous locations. It will serve as the cornerstone of Zedi monitoring solutions in terrestrial cellular coverage.

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Winegard provides VSAT antennas for DTS SatCom box, oil field operator

Very small aperture terminal (VSAT) manufacturer Winegard Co. will provide more than 200 customized portable VSAT units to Data Technology Solutions (DTS.) DTS will integrate the Winegard compact satellite communications terminals into its new SatCom Box on behalf of one of the largest oil field services companies in the U.S.

Winegard's customized VSAT systems provide data, voice, and video communications services for oil field service companies on both coasts of the United States as well as the Gulf of Mexico. A VSAT network allows the headquarters of DST's customer to directly stay in contact with its many, widespread oil field operations without having to go through a single terrestrial station.

Winegard entered a multi-year contract with DTS for the former's Small Footprint VSAT system. The Winegard SatCom terminal's compact 2-way antenna can fit inside its custom-fabricated skid, making transportation and integration easy.

DTS customizes their SatCom Box product according to their customer's specific needs. It will integrate the Winegard VSAT's controller and antenna mount into a patent pending SatCom Box.

According to Mike Guidroz, President of DTS, Winegard was chosen because of its innovative and reliable antenna designs, the speed at which those same antenna can be customized according to the user's needs, and the rugged construction of its VSAT units.

Winegard was able to respond in weeks or even days when presented with a request for a specific antenna, compared to competitors which reported took months to do the same. “Speed to deliver is a key factor for our customers,” Mr. Guidroz said.

"The SatCom Box has set a new standard in the industry,” said Jon Manley, Director of Engineering for Winegard. He added that Winegard proudly supplied its premier VSAT antennas to DTS for integration into the latter company's SatCom Box.

Winegard's extensively-engineered and tested satellite antenna lead the industry when it comes to performance, quality, and usability. The Company's VSAT systems is compatible with HughesNet, iDirect, Gilat, and ViaSat modems, allowing it to provide high-quality Internet on satellite and other SATCOM services.

Winegard took pains to reduce total cost of ownership through its product's single-button operation. Its VSAT system can be set up without any need for additional equipment or knowledge, and it also automatically acquires a satellite uplink, all in less than three minutes.

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ITT Exelis will provide satcom systems for US Army in Korea

Through a new Rapid Equipping Force contract, ITT Exelis will be supplying Mission Command On the Move (MCOTM) systems to the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Division deployed in South Korea. The contract award is the result of a 2nd Infantry Division operational needs statement that requested a MCOTM system to support contingency missions. 

ITT Exelis' Global Network on the Move-Active Distribution (GNOMAD) solution integrates a number of commercial-off-the-shelf products in order to deliver mobile satellite broadband connectivity. The GNOMAD system is combat-proven, modular, and reliable. Its reduced size, weight and power make it a viable solution for integration into multiple U.S. Army ground platforms, and it will provide even the lowest battlefield echelon with critical network connectivity.

The GNOMAD satellite communications system will be installed in Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) All-Terrain Vehicles (M-ATV), M1(V) Abrams main battle tanks, M2 Bradleys infantry fighting vehicles, and Stryker combat vehicles. Its Viasat Linkway S2 modem will allow for mission command applications such as Digital Video Broadcast SATCOM Second Generation.

Satellite communications company IT Exelis had previously supplied GNOMAD systems for the 4th Infantry Division during that unit's 2011 deployment in Iraq. The systems slated for delivery to the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea will have the same configuration as those used in Network Integration Exercise (NEI) 12.1. Held at Fort Bliss, Texas, and White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, NEI 12.1 hosted new mission command applications such as Command Post of the Future.