Commercial
ships are the most cost effective and fastest means of transporting
goods globally but pirate activity is a significant threat that costs
the world economy between $7 and $12 billion annually according to a
recent estimate by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The
Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a coalition of 22 nations led by the
United States, is now engaged in efforts to promote security and stability
in response to the growing threat of piracy across approximately 2.5
million square miles of international waters in and around the Arabian
Sea. However, executing effective strategies against piracy, terrorism,
and other criminal activities at sea requires a common satellite communications
system on coalition vessels that can deliver high performance at low
cost, handle heavy data needs, and be deployed easily. The global mini-VSAT
BroadbandSM network and the TracPhone® V7 antenna from KVH Industries,
Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI) were chosen to meet these critical operational
needs.
KVH is offering a new paper, “Meeting the Critical Communications
Challenges of the Multinational Counter-Piracy Coalition: The Case for
KVH TracPhone V7 and the mini-VSAT Broadband Global SATCOM Network”,
which examines CMF counter-piracy operations and what makes KVH’s
solution an effective tool for coalition forces. |
Initially,
coalition vessels were equipped with Inmarsat L-band systems. While
Inmarsat’s small antennas, straightforward configuration, and
coverage throughout the operational area were beneficial, the high cost
of Inmarsat data and its high latency became prohibitive given the high
data volume required by the Combined Enterprise Regional Information
Exchange System (CENTRIXS), which is often encrypted and used by multinational
task forces. Further, the forces in the operations are constantly changing.
Various countries assign vessels, aircraft, and personnel to the task
force, so it is necessary to use SATCOM systems that are simple to install
and operate while delivering reliably high performance at a low cost.
KVH’s 24" (60 cm) TracPhone V7 antenna can be installed by
just two people in a single day, easily meeting the task forces’
hardware needs, and the global mini-VSAT Broadband network offers reliable
data and voice services at rates 1/10th the cost of Inmarsat.
“It is an emergency situation each time a vessel is captured by
pirates, off the coast of Somalia or elsewhere,” explains Dan
Conway, KVH’s vice president for business development. “The
mini-VSAT Broadband network offers seamless global coverage so that
U.S. and allied forces can communicate and determine the most effective
way to rescue mariners in danger, as well as intercept and apprehend
the pirates. We are pleased to support these efforts to ensure the safety
of commercial crews and leisure boaters. Communications alone will not
end the issue of modern piracy, but it is an invaluable tool for supporting
the mission.”
Today, TracPhone V7 systems are also installed on high-value oil and
gas terminals in the Arabian Gulf and on U.S. Navy and coalition vessels
participating in the Combined Maritime Forces. The units are available
to be deployed as needed in the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, and
the Arabian Sea. These systems have already been successfully deployed
on vessels of the navies of Thailand, Pakistan, the United States, South
Korea, and Bahrain, among others. They were chosen in part due to the
U.S. Coast Guard’s successful use of the TracPhone V7 and mini-VSAT
Broadband.
The mini-VSAT Broadband network is the first next-generation maritime
satellite communications solution. The global spread spectrum satellite
network, built with ViaSat’s patented ArcLight® technology,
offers more affordable airtime, voice service and Internet access as
fast as 512 Kbps (ship to shore) and 2 Mbps (shore to ship). KVH’s
compact family of mini-VSAT Broadband-compatible TracPhone antennas
are more affordable and faster and easier to install than competing
solutions, and can be remotely disabled for security should the need
arise. More than 1,000 TracPhone V7 systems were shipped in the first
three years after the product’s introduction, making the mini-VSAT
Broadband network the fastest growing maritime VSAT solution.
About KVH Industries, Inc.
KVH Industries is a leading manufacturer of solutions that provide global
high-speed Internet, television, and voice services via satellite to
mobile users at sea, on land, and in the air. KVH is also a premier
manufacturer of high performance sensors and integrated inertial systems
for defense and commercial guidance and stabilization applications.
The company is based in Middletown, RI, with facilities in Illinois,
Denmark, Norway, and Singapore.
Visit KVH Industries at DIMDEX 2012: USA Pavilion - Booth #N-216 |
