X-band satellite operator XTAR has formed a partnership with Satcom Direct Communications, the military and government division of Satcom Direct.
The partners will offer a new, on-demand and minutes-based satellite communications service for military and government users. "This non-pre-emptible and highly flexible service will be available as a stand-alone service or as a roaming service to augment the Government's WGS X-Band constellation," said a news release by the two companies. "The service will provide throughput rates from the aircraft up to 12 Mbps under a pay-per-use price structure, a first of its kind offering unavailable elsewhere in the marketplace."
The X-band service will address the growing requirements for airborne beyond-line-of-sight bandwidth for ISR and other missions, by using the X-band, which is ideal for ultra-small satellite terminals, the companies said. "Airborne satellite terminals approved for use on the XTAR constellation will be based on iDirect's eVolution and Velocity modem technology. With XTAR providing the space segment, SDC's first X-band end-to-end high throughput teleport/hub has been brought online via teleport service from a North American location alleviating the burden for the aircraft end user to provide their own (and often expensive) ground infrastructure."
Michael Peck is a correspondent for Defense News and a columnist for the Center for European Policy Analysis. He holds an M.A. in political science from Rutgers University. Find him on X at @Mipeck1. His email is mikedefense1@gmail.com.
