During the recent Saber Strike 2018 exercise, which was intended to build readiness across U.S. Army and NATO coalition forces, Viasat Inc., a global communications company, proved its Multi-Mission Terminal (MMT), known to the United States Department of Defense as the AN/TSC-241, is battlefield ready, and can help warfighters and first responders rapidly communicate during times of crisis.
With the Saber Strike field validation, Viasat’s MMT is now battlefield-validated for immediate use and purchase across all U.S. and other Five Eyes (FVEY) military branches, including U.S. and international Special Operations Forces, the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marines.
Viasat’s MMT delivers high-quality IP-based voice, video and data networking across multiple networks in both highly contested and benign environments around the globe. Using a portable terminal design, the MMT is an ideal networking solution for forward operating bases (FOBs) and emergency response operations, where warfighters and first responders can securely access networks and establish command post communications quickly and easily.
Set-up of the MMT proved simple during the field exercise, as field personnel were able to use the MMT’s integrated smartphone app to establish communications in less than thirty minutes with minimal training—which also indicated potential costs savings for military customers.
The Saber Strike 2018 report detailed key performance advantages of Viasat’s MMT, which included:
- Enhanced connectivity with a small footprint: Viasat’s MMT provided Saber Strike forces with enhanced satellite connectivity with a very small logistical footprint. This enabled robust data to be sent to Beyond Line of Sight units, significantly enhancing situational awareness across the battlespace.
- Resilient, high-quality performance on multiple networks: The MMT produced robust throughput on high-capacity Ka-frequency bands throughout the duration of the Saber Strike exercise. In addition, Viasat’s MMT also demonstrated proven satellite connectivity in the Ku-band with enhanced upload and download performance when compared to other legacy systems.
- Added flexibility: One of Viasat’s MMTs operated entirely on batteries during the Saber Strike exercise, demonstrating its logistical flexibility in an austere environment.
- Ease of use: Viasat’s MMT was set up three separate times over the course of the 22 hour maneuver, demonstrating its portability and ease of use for U.S. and international coalition forces. The Saber Strike report noted the improved set-up/take-down of the MMT when compared to legacy terminals.
“The innovative capabilities of our MMT further illustrate Viasat’s ability to quickly deliver cutting-edge technologies for warfighters today, while anticipating and addressing the mission needs of tomorrow,” said Ken Peterman, president, Government Systems, Viasat. “The Saber Strike 2018 exercise validates the performance advantages of this portable hybrid terminal across multiple satellite networks and ease of use for both U.S. and international coalition forces.”
The MMT is designed to integrate into Viasat’s Hybrid Adaptive Network architecture, which allows users to seamlessly operate across different networks (both government and private sector), creating an end-to-end network that provides mitigation against congestion situations, intentional and unintentional interference sources and cyber threats through implementation of layered resiliency in highly contested environments. In addition, the MMT’s Software Defined Modem (CBM-400) will allow customers to switch between multiple waveforms and upgrade to Viasat’s next-generation Ka-band network in real-time.
