ThinKom has been selected to supply phased-array satellite terminals for a pilot program aimed at assessing communications on-the-move (COTM) options for the US Army’s Armoured Brigade Combat Teams (ABCT).
Specifically, ThinKom has been tasked with integrating enhanced mobile network solutions directly onto select vehicles to bolster the expeditionary capability of command posts, while also supporting network connectivity across the battlefield.
This follows the acquisition of three ThinKom ThinSat 300 vehicular satellite antennas by General Dynamics Mission Systems, the program’s prime contractor, for testing as a design option for mounting on command-post vehicles in armour formations.
The Ku-band ThinSat 300 antennas leverage ThinKom’s patented and proven Variable Inclination Continuous Transverse Stub (VICTS) phased-array technology, currently deployed on over 1,600 aircraft.
“The ABCT pilot program will demonstrate that our field-proven commercial off-the-shelf technology can provide a reliable and low-cost solution to meet this demanding requirement in support of US armed forces,” Bill Milroy, ThinKom’s CTO and chairman, said.
The COTM pilot program is expected to lead to prototype deployment and testing under the Army’s two-year Capability Set cycle in 2023.
Charbel Kadib
News Editor – Defence and Cyber, Momentum Media
Prior to joining the defence and aerospace team in 2020, Charbel was news editor of The Adviser and Mortgage Business, where he covered developments in the banking and financial services sector for three years. Charbel has a keen interest in geopolitics and international relations, graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a double major in politics and journalism. Charbel has also completed internships with The Australian Department of Communications and the Arts and public relations agency Fifty Acres.
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