Indra developing satellite communications system for long endurance defense drones.

Spanish company Indra is developing a satellite communications system that will enable large aircraft and drones of the future to operate as true systems of systems, exchanging data in real-time to maintain superiority in every mission. Indra’s new SATCOM will offer bandwidths of up to 20 megabits per second, multiplying the transmission capacity of today’s most advanced onboard systems.

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Indra’s system will be one of the few that will be designed from the outset to obtain DAL-D (Design Assurance Level-D) security certification, which is essential in order to remotely control large military drones safely. (Picture source: Indra)

This functionality is critical for a generation of aircraft that will need to transmit a high volume of information to long-distance command centers operating within the future combat clouds, along with multiple land, naval and air platforms. Indra’s system will be one of the few that will be designed from the outset to obtain DAL-D (Design Assurance Level-D) security certification, which is essential in order to remotely control large military drones safely. The new terminal will be perfectly suited to medium or large platforms, such as the future EuroDrone currently being developed by Germany, Spain, France and Italy.

By transmitting in both civilian and military communications bands (Ku and Ka bands), the terminal will offer armies maximum flexibility to take advantage of the capabilities of the satellites available to each user in each region.

The system will have a robust protection mode to resist any kind of interference. It will also eliminate the well-known keyhole effect, which can make it difficult to connect with geostationary satellites in areas close to the equator.

All these features will make Indra’s new system one of the most advanced on the market and will make Indra one of the few companies in the world to have this type of strategic technology, which is essential in order for these aircraft to be able to form part of the complex systems of systems of the future.

Indra is currently the second-largest supplier of avionics systems for the Eurofighter, one of today’s most advanced multi-role fighters. Its role as national coordinator of the NGWS/FCAS program guarantees its in-depth knowledge of the air combat systems that will enter service in the coming decades. It has also implemented its technology onboard such iconic aircraft as the AWACS and the A400M, among others.

Moreover, Indra is a leading company in the development of state-of-the-art satellite communications. It implemented the network management system for the satellite communication network used by the Spanish Army. It has also equipped Spanish vehicles, ships and submarines with satellite communications terminals and has provided the Spanish Army with anchor stations and flyaway systems for communication in areas of operation. Indra has been exporting these kinds of systems to countries all over the world for decades, and its ability to meet the expectations of the most demanding customers has made it one of the undisputed leaders in this market.