Ultra Electronics chosen by Raytheon for delivery of communications system to U.S. Army.

The strategic partnership will see the delivery of a vital communications capability to the U.S. Army under an infinite-quantity contract.

Troposcatter communications systems (Picture source: Wikiwand)

Gigasat, part of Ultra Electronics CIS (Communication and Integrated Systems) and a leading manufacturer of satellite and microwave equipment for secure government and military communications, has been selected as part of the Raytheon team providing advanced Troposcatter communication systems to the U.S. Army. The partnership will see the delivery of the systems as part of a 10-year, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract to ensure troops have access to secure voice and data communications in contested environments.

Troposcatter communications systems allow troops to establish a communications capability in the field of operation in areas where access to a trusted source of satellite communications coverage is not available. Following a competitive, rigorous testing and analysis process, Raytheon has selected Ultra Gigasat's Troposcatter antenna solution to provide the U.S. Army with a secure, reliable, easily deployable capability to facilitate mission-critical communications between soldiers in the field and command and control. The Troposcatter terminal has been designed to operate in a multitude of environments, ensuring that troops conducting missions anywhere in the world have access to a reliable communications system.

Mark Aitken, Business Unit Director, Ultra Gigasat, commented: 'The operational requirements of today mean that troops are required to deploy to a variety of environments where access to satellite coverage and power is not guaranteed. Reliable, secure communications is a vital component of operations and is essential not only to the success of missions, but also to protecting soldiers' safety. Our partnership with Raytheon will ensure that the capability is readily available to provide soldiers with deployable communications tools, regardless of whether or not satellite coverage is available.'

Ultra Gigasat's Troposcatter antenna has undergone rigorous design, testing and development to ensure it can be deployed to any field of operation, easily assembled with no requirement for additional components, and quickly establish a secure communications function. The system has been optimised for transportability, weight and size, maximising the range of transport platforms that can deploy the terminal to site whilst not placing additional demands on the operation. Once installed and aligned, the terminal provides a stable platform to transmit and receive data, even under harsh conditions or in severe environments.

Troposcatter – short for tropospheric scatter – technology uses particles that make up the Earth's atmosphere as a reflector for radio signals. The signals are aimed just above the horizon in the direction of a receiver station. As they pass through the troposphere, some of the energy is scattered back toward the Earth, allowing the receiver station to pick up the signal, creating a secure communications network without the need for cellular towers or satellites.

In addition to battlefield use, Troposcatter systems can be utilised in crisis response scenarios where establishing reliable communications could present a significant logistical challenge after a natural disaster. By deploying a Troposcatter system, responders can establish networks without the requirement for power or satellite coverage, ensuring emergency rescue efforts can be quickly coordinated.