Inflatable Satellite Antenna Terminals Approved for Use by the US Army

The GATR satellite antenna system from Cubic Mission Solutions (CMS) has been granted approval for Full Rate Production (FRP) for the U.S. Army's Transportable Tactical Command Communications (T2C2) program. T2C2 was granted approval for FRP as a result of the T2C2 Full Rate Production Milestone review. The FRP decision will enable the Army's program office to procure and field Cubic's GATR satellite antenna systems to Army units.

GATR is revolutionizing the ultra-portable SATCOM industry with its inflatable communications terminal. Compared to other deployable rigid dishes of comparable size, GATR’s unique shape and designs enable extreme portability, lower cost of ownership, reliability in extreme environments, and ease of set up.

The GATR satellite systems offer transportability, high-bandwidth capabilities and ease of set up for Army units as they go into battle. The GATR 1.2-meter and 2.4-meter inflatable satellite terminals provide robust high-bandwidth network communications and mission command for initial entry and sustained forward operations. Its compact size and innovative design provides significant improvements in transportability, bandwidth and set up speed, providing essential communications when and where they are needed most. The GATR satellite antenna system's inflatable feature allows it to provide a larger dish size in similar transit volume and weight compared to a traditional rigid dish, with increased capability and bandwidth efficiency.

Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, U.S. Army Alaska supported the successful T2C2 operational test in March 2017 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. The Army plans to begin fielding T2C2 immediately, with a brigade from the 82nd Airborne Division to be the first unit equipped.

Click here to learn more about the T2C2 program.

Publisher: everything RF