Navy Multiband Terminal Paper
Bryan Boggs
MN 3331
Program Acquisition Report – Navy Multiband Terminal
The Navy Multiband Terminal (NMT) Program is the next generation maritime military satellite communications terminal. The NMT Program is the required Navy component to the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) Program for enhancing protected and survivable satellite communications to Naval forces. NMT multiband communication capabilities will communicate via two way Ka-Band on Wideband Global Satellite Communication (SATCOM) (WGS) and shipboard and submarine terminals to communicate with X-Band using the Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) and WGS. NMT will operate in the Extremely High Frequency (EHF)/AEHF Low Data Rate (LDR), Medium Data Rate (MDR), and Extended Data Rate (XDR) communication modes and will sustain the Military Satellite Communication (MILSATCOM) architecture by providing connectivity across the spectrum of mission areas to include land, air and naval warfare, special operations, strategic nuclear operations, strategic defense, theater missile defense, and space operations and intelligence (1). The NMT system will replenish and improve on the capabilities of both the Military Strategic and Tactical Relay (MILSTAR) system and WGS system by equipping the warfighters with assured, jam resistant, secure communications. The AEHF system will provide crosslinks within the constellation as well as between AEHF satellites and MILSTAR satellites in the backwards-compatible mode. Mission requirements specific to Navy operations, including threat levels and scenarios, are contained in the AEHF ORD. NMT will be a FORCEnet enabler by providing critical protected bandwidth for war fighter information services (3).
The NMT is the fourth iteration Navy EHF terminal being designed to communicate with the AEHF satellites, as well as existing EHF on-orbit capable satellites. The NMT is designed to replace existing submarine and shipboard SATCOM terminals with a single terminal,
MN 3331
Program Acquisition Report – Navy Multiband Terminal
The Navy Multiband Terminal (NMT) Program is the next generation maritime military satellite communications terminal. The NMT Program is the required Navy component to the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) Program for enhancing protected and survivable satellite communications to Naval forces. NMT multiband communication capabilities will communicate via two way Ka-Band on Wideband Global Satellite Communication (SATCOM) (WGS) and shipboard and submarine terminals to communicate with X-Band using the Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) and WGS. NMT will operate in the Extremely High Frequency (EHF)/AEHF Low Data Rate (LDR), Medium Data Rate (MDR), and Extended Data Rate (XDR) communication modes and will sustain the Military Satellite Communication (MILSATCOM) architecture by providing connectivity across the spectrum of mission areas to include land, air and naval warfare, special operations, strategic nuclear operations, strategic defense, theater missile defense, and space operations and intelligence (1). The NMT system will replenish and improve on the capabilities of both the Military Strategic and Tactical Relay (MILSTAR) system and WGS system by equipping the warfighters with assured, jam resistant, secure communications. The AEHF system will provide crosslinks within the constellation as well as between AEHF satellites and MILSTAR satellites in the backwards-compatible mode. Mission requirements specific to Navy operations, including threat levels and scenarios, are contained in the AEHF ORD. NMT will be a FORCEnet enabler by providing critical protected bandwidth for war fighter information services (3).
The NMT is the fourth iteration Navy EHF terminal being designed to communicate with the AEHF satellites, as well as existing EHF on-orbit capable satellites. The NMT is designed to replace existing submarine and shipboard SATCOM terminals with a single terminal,
References: (1) Selected Acquisition Report (SAR). (2011). Navy Multiband Terminal. Retrieved from https://ebiz.acq.osd.mil/DAMIR/PurviewNew/PurviewDefault.aspx (2) GAO, Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs , Retrieved from http:// www.gao.gov/assets/320/317081.pdf (3) Department of Defense. (2012). Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 President’s Budget Submission. Budget Item Justification: PE 0303109N, Retrieved from http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/search/advanced_search.html