U.K. Skynet-5A Now Operational over Afghanistan and Iraq
LONDON, May 14, 2007 - Satnews Daily - Although it’s hard imagining the technophobic Taliban as adept at using computer keypads as they are with using Kalashnikovs, it’s precisely the anxiety that they might somehow be more techno savvy than they look that’s prompted the British to use their most sophisticated military satellite in Afghanistan.
Launched only this March, Skynet-5A is the UK’s most advanced military satellite—and is the highest power X-Band satellite in orbit. It is part of a $7 billion upgrade project by the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) to improve communications between military command centers around the world.
Skynet- 5A is a next generation military satellite communications program to provide end-to-end, resilient, secure Beyond Line of Site communications services, including welfare, to the UK MoD and other non-UK MoD and multinational customers until 2020.
Brigadier Simon Shadbolt of MoD said British troops in Afghanistan have been using Skynet-5A more than troops in Iraq and that troops have seen a noticeable increase in capability. Brigadier Shadbolt said the system was a vast improvement over the older Skynet satellite systems and is also more resilient against threats.
Skynet-5A supplies about 2.5 times the capacity of the old system and generates a very significant improvement for British global communications systems, allowing the British to transmit more data faster. MoD called Skynet-5A an excellent example of a successful Private Finance Initiative (PFI) deal.
Skynet-5A, is the first of three advanced milsats to be launched under the PFI that partners MoD with Paradigm Secure Communications, the service provider that owns the satellite, and EADS-Astrium, which built the satellite. Skynet-5B will be launched towards the end of this year and Skynet-5C, a spare, in 2008.
The world leading anti-jamming antenna on Skynet-5A is extremely effective against hostile or non-hostile interference, according to MoD. All transmit beams are steerable and the active antenna forms multiple complex receive beam patterns to maximize terminal performance. Built to support the most challenging missions, the antenna is nuclear and laser hardened to demanding NATO Standards.
The Skynet program is underpinned by partnering between MoD and industry. Paradigm, Astrium Satellites, Serco, Logica CMG, EADS DS and MoD have worked together to make the project a success for all stakeholders.
