Raytheon has successfully tested the second operationally fielded navy multiband terminal (NMT) satellite communication system with on-orbit advanced extremely high frequency (AEHF) satellite.
The on-orbit test was conducted to validate the system’s ability to provide secure interoperable communication for the US military and coalition partners.
During the test, the terminal used the AEHF satellite’s extended data rate (XDR) waveform to demonstrate interoperable communications as well as backward compatibility to low and medium data rate operation.
The XDR waveform provides users with increased bandwidth and speed to enable strategic and tactical military communications such as real-time video, battlefield mapping and targeting data.
NMT is a family of multiband ship, submarine and shore communications terminals that integrate extremely-high-frequency/advanced extremely-high-frequency (EHF/AEHF) capability with two-way military Ka and X-band, and the global broadcast service.
The system is also compatible and interoperable with wideband global SATCOM and legacy navy and other service terminals, and is backward compatible with legacy satellite systems.
The NMT enables seamless and secure connectivity between individual ship and submarine networks and the Global Information Grid.
Raytheon Network Centric Systems’ Integrated Communication Systems business vice-president Scott Whatmough said: "This increased capability will give the navy more mission flexibility and significantly increased capacity to provide protected voice, data and video communications supporting strategic and tactical missions."
AEHF, developed by MILSATCOM Systems, is designed to provide improved, secure, protected communications for war-fighters operating on global ground, sea and air platforms.
About 364 AEHF NMTs will be fielded to the US armed services.
