Navy chooses Comtech EF Data to provide satellite communications modems for shipboard and shore applications
SAN DIEGO – U.S. shipboard communications experts needed satellite modems and upgrades for surface warships, submarines, and shore sites. They found their solution from Comtech EF Data Corp. in Tempe, Ariz.
Officials of the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command in San Diego announced a $13.1 million order to Comtech EF Data on Friday for Comtech SLM-5650B modems, SLM-5650B modem upgrade kits, firmware upgrades, and technical support.
The commercially available modems support satellite communications (SATCOM) and interoperability across Navy platforms and shore sites. The order increases the current contract value from $58.8 million to $71.9 million.
The SLM-5650B satellite modem is for critical military, government, and commercial backhaul SATCOM applications. It complies with MIL-STD-188-165A/B, with STANAG 4486 Edition 3 Annex E, and supports FIPS 140-2 certified encryption.
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The SLM-5650B supports backwards compatibility and interoperability for existing SLM-5650A networks while providing enhanced performance. Features include gigabit Ethernet bridge interface; LNB reference and voltage; and BUC reference.
The SLM-5650B is for applications with the Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS), Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS), and commercial satellites.
Data rates from 8 kilobits per second to 155 megabits per second, and supports symbol rates from 32 kilosamples per second to 64 megasamples per second. The modem provides standard MIL-STD-188-114 (EIA-530 / RS-422), and EIA-613 (HSSI) serial interfaces, and can be configured to support G.703 and Low Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) serial interfaces.
It can support a 4-port 10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet network processor module that supports switching, routing, and advanced quality-of-service protocols. The military typically uses these SATCOM modems for secure communications on-the-move in rugged environments.
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Direct sequence spread spectrum is available to support point-to-point and point-to-multipoint applications as an option with LDPC-based FEC and BPSK. Spreading factors to 512 are supported. The IF interface supports 52 to 88, 104 to 176, and 950 to 2000 MHz frequency ranges.
The modem supports EIA-530 (RS 422), EIA-612/613 (HSSI) and single Gigabit Ethernet port as standard features. An optional 4-port Gigabit Ethernet interface is also available.
For more information contact Comtech EF Data online at www.comtechefdata.com, or the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command at www.navwar.navy.mil.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
