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Navy's New Broadband Satellite Program Provides GreaterReliability, Tenfold Increase in at-Sea ThroughputBy SPAWAR Public AffairsThe Navy has begun procuring the nextgeneration commercial satellite communicationsterminals to augment its militarysatellite communications. The procurementis designed to significantly increasethroughput to ships at sea. Throughput isthe amount of data transferred in a specificamount of time, usually expressed asbits per second.The Commercial Broadband SatelliteProgram (CBSP) is sponsored by the AssistantSecretary of the Navy for Research,Development and Acquisition (ASN(RD&A)) and executed by the CommunicationsProgram Office within the Navy'sProgram Executive Office for Command,Control, Communications, Computersand Intelligence (C4I).The CBSP is a rapid deployment capability(RDC) acquisition to expedite replacementof Inmarsat B high speed data(HSD) channel and Commercial WidebandSATCOM Program (CWSP) capabilities. Thecurrent RDC fielding requirement is to installCBSP terminals on up to 49 ships.Navy ships currently use Inmarsat B HSD(128 kbps) or CWSP (2.048 Mbps). CBSPterminals will be capable of delivering upto a near tenfold increase in throughputfrom 881 kbps for the small ship variant(SSV)-equipped ships to 21.6 Mbps for theforce level variant (FLV)-equipped ships.Throughput received by individualfleet units will depend on each ship'sactual satellite allocation of CBSP bandwidth,which will be procured by PEO C4Iin coordination with the Defense InformationSystems Agency.The increased throughput capabilitywill enable ships to transmit voice, videoand data faster and in greater volume. Additionally,the quality of life for Sailors willbe increased by their ability to communicateusing wideband SATCOM.Chris Miller, who heads PEO C4I, theorganization charged with acquiring, installing,and supporting communicationsand information technology systems forthe Navy said, “Our warfighters need theadded capability in order to ensure decisionsuperiority — the ability to makeinformed decisions in critical situations —faster than the enemy.”According to Navy Capt. John W. PopeIII, communications program manager,the Navy is acquiring three variants of thecommercial terminals, depending on thesize and mission of the ship for which itis destined.“Each terminal variant is capable of receivingdiffering satellite spectrum bandsdepending on their use,” said Pope. “TheSSV is a Ku-band terminal intended forships operating in littoral waters. The unitlevel variant (ULV) terminal will be commercialX and Ku capable and will be thesize and weight to fit on unit level ships.The FLV terminal will access the C and Kusatellites and will be large enough to providehigh data rate to force level ships."Pope said his program office’s goal isto deliver the capability as quickly as possiblewhile balancing cost, schedule andperformance, in addition to the challengesinherent in an RDC acquisition.“This program plays a key role in theNavy’s SATCOM roadmap strategy as weconsolidate from five SATCOM terminalprograms of record to two: CBSP andthe Navy Multiband Terminal. This effortshould allow the Navy to take advantageof newer technology and reduce overalllife cycle costs.”The Navy recently completed a developmentaltest and quick reaction assessmentof the first CBSP terminal, installedaboard the mine countermeasures shipUSS Champion (MCM 4), under the commandof Navy Lt. Cmdr. John Callaway.“CBSP SSV is a significant improvementin capability and reliability,” said Callaway.“It’s the first time I have been able to surfthe SIPRNET while at sea.”The increased bandwidth providedby CBSP was welcomed by InformationSystems Technician Senior Chief (SurfaceWarfare) Jim Crewse, USS Champion communicationsdivision chief.“Overall the system has been performinggreat and had added capability andperformance for the ship,” explainedCrewse.According to Melinda Ratz, the assistantprogram manager for CBSP, theNavy’s first priority is to install CBSP terminalson the most “bandwidth disadvantaged”users, a group that includesfrigates, mine countermeasure ships andcoastal patrol ships.“Additional SSV terminals were orderedafter the successful developmental testingand quick reaction assessment aboardUSS Champion for installations beginningas early as September,” Ratz said.“ULV terminals are being produced forinstallation and testing in spring 2009 toAt sea aboard USS Champion (MCM 4) - Sailors aboardthe mine countermeasures ship prepare to lower theAN/SLQ-48 “Mine Neutralization Vehicle” into thewater. The remotely operated vehicle uses sonar andvideo cameras to find and identify underwater objects.If the operators find a mine, the vehicle can place smallexplosive charges near the mine to neutralize it. U.S.Navy photo by Lt. Marc Boyd.ensure the frigates receive this missionessential capability. The next priority willbe to install CBSP on force level ships toreplace CWSP.”PEO C4I acquires, fields, and supportsC4I systems that extend across Navy,joint, and coalition platforms. Supportedby Team SPAWAR and industry partners,PEO C4I annually completes more than2,000 C4I installations to fleet and coalitioncustomers.For more information about PEO C4I, goto www.peoc4i.navy.mil.CHIPS October – December 2008 35