In the modern era of worldwide conflicts and catastrophes, global events can emerge swiftly and unpredictably, which means government/military users providing mission support must stand ready to deploy “anytime/anywhere” on a moment’s notice. In doing so, they rely upon satellite communications (SATCOM) that goes where they go – as fast as they are getting there. However, the current state of SATCOM acquisitions does not make this possible.

Budget challenges combined with a dysfunctional, piecemeal and antiquated military SATCOM procurement model are preventing this, especially when it comes to augmenting government systems with the very best that commercial SATCOM has to offer. Fortunately, federal leaders are increasingly acknowledging this, voicing greater support for an entirely integrated SATCOM architecture in the interest of rapid and cost-effective innovation that is relevant to government needs. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, for example, calls for an analysis of alternatives for a follow-on wideband communications system to the Wideband Global SATCOM system. It encourages the Secretary of Defense to make it easier for government purchasers to “effectively and efficiently acquire commercial satellite communications services.”

As the leadership moves forward with such proposals, we already see tangible benefits of commercially available end-to-end SATCOM capability to include ground, terminal and space segments, at a much more affordable cost than the current acquisition model allows. And this interoperability goes beyond wideband. We will provide examples of the most recent innovations in Ka- and L-band available globally and on a moment’s notice, enhancing communications on the move (COTM) voice/data transmissions in an affordable model.

Rapid and cost-effective commercial innovation that is built to government’s requirements adds greater efficiencies and users benefit from the most flexible and immediate technologies without the government’s need to invest in additional stove piped or disparate infrastructure – the ideal resiliency approach.