STOCs and Shares
Spectra Group’s SlingShot Tactical Operations Centre (STOC) is being enhanced with the addition of a low-band, commercial Ultra High Frequency (UHF: 300 megahertz to three gigahertz) communications link. The company told Armada in a written statement that STOC provides communications at static locations. Such locations can include fixed or temporary bases. Spectra Group added that it took the decision to provide this new UHF adornment because this waveband is “very prevalent as the band of choice for defence customers outside the United States and European markets.” Deliveries of STOC variants with the new UHF enhancements are being made to customers in the Asia-Pacific, the statement added. This frequency option supplements the UHF military band and Very High Frequency (VHF: 30MHz to 300MHz) commercial and military bands already offered with STOC.
New SATCOM for Canada
On 15th August, Satcom Direct Avionics announced it had won a competitive tender to supply broadband Satellite Communications (SATCOM) services to the Canadian government. Specifically, the company will provide “datalink services, hardware, hosting, and infrastructure services to support global aeronautical missions” according to a press release. SATCOM links will be carried across Ka-band (26.5 gigahertz/GHz to 40GHz uplink/18GHz to 20GHz downlink), Ku-band (14GHz uplink/10.9GHz to 12.75GHz downlink) and X-band (7.9GHz to 8.4GHz uplink/7.25GHz to 7.75GHz downlink) conduits. Satcom Direct Avionics told Armada via a written statement that its “services will or can be used by all branches of the Canadian Department of National Defence as well as Canadian civil government agencies.” The statement continued that the contract also sees the supply of routers and gateways, software, colocation and hosting services.
by Dr. Thomas Withington
