Chief Information Officer Group

Australian Defence Force Satellite Communications

Captain Vaughn Rixon, RAN – Director ICT Capability Coordination

Chief Information Officer Group

Scope

• ADF SATCOM Roles• ADF Use of SATCOM• SATCOM Capability Construct• SATCOM Capability – Today• SATCOM Capability – Tomorrow• Future Challenges

ADF SATCOM Broad Roles

Space CIOG/CDG DMO CIOG

Terminal Services/CDG DMO Services

Ground CIOG/CDG DMO CIOG

Plan Build RunCIOG = Chief Information Officer GroupCDG = Capability Development Group

DMO = Defence Materiel OrganisationServices = Navy, Air Force and Army

ADF Use of SATCOM• Operational Environment

– Characterised by concurrent operations, in dispersed locations, with a requirement for extension of Defence networks/voice services from the strategic environment into the operational and tactical domains

• SATCOM provides independent communications means– Operations can not rely solely on terrestrial connectivity – may be compromised or

not available– Users may not be within line-of-sight, or in terrain constrained environment (urban,

mountainous regions)– SATCOM can achieve long distance connectivity (trunking) and netted

communications

• Accordingly, cardinal requirements of coverage, capacity and connectivity endure

Capability Construct

• Coverage

– Ongoing operational requirement for ‘Two Ocean Presence’ (Indian and Pacific)

– ADF’s Primary Operational Area (White Paper)

– Australian Coverage Area of 30°E to 170°W (WGS MOU)

– Contingency requirement for Rest of World coverage

• Capacity

– Increasing demand for bandwidth (new capabilities being introduced)

– New platforms, high data rate ISR streams, increased demand at HQ

– Current predictions suggest capacity requirements can be met; however, regular Information Exchange Requirements (IER) analysis is essential.

• Connectivity

– Extending strategic information networks into the operational arena

– Increasing use of coalition networks

– Growing need for netted communications

SATCOM Cardinal Requirements – The Ends

SATCOM Cardinal Requirements – The Ends

Cap

aci

ty

Zone 1Zone 1

Zone 2

West

Zone 2

WestZone 2

East

Zone 2

EastZone 3

East

Zone 3

EastZone 3

West

Zone 3

West

• Space Segment – Need for wideband and narrowband SATCOM remains extant– Wideband primarily for long-haul communications supporting larger semi-static

formations– Narrowband primarily for mobile, tactical users with strategic and netted links– Expect increased mobile wideband access as small wideband dishes are introduced – Aim to converge on military systems and spectrum (WGS / DPS / IS-22)– Commercial SATCOM will continue to be required for alternate means, surge or

where military spectrum can not be used

• Terminal Segment– Classified as either platform-based, transportable or anchor terminals– Platform-based are the responsibility of the project introducing the major capability– Significant change to Defence’s transportable terminals out to 2016 to facilitate the

convergence on MILSATCOM (military spectrum and systems)– Likewise, major changes to Defence’s anchoring architecture to accommodate WGS,

IS-22, TDMA, IW

Current Capability – The Ways

• Control Segment– Defined as platform (satellite) monitoring and control (M&C) or transmissions and

payload M&C– Platform (station keeping, sub-system health monitoring)

– Defence not directly involved in platform M&C of bus– WGS M&C is through US MILSATCOM architecture. – DPS and IS-22 M&C is included in commercial contracts

– Payload (circuit configuration, traffic monitoring)– Defence maintains M&C on DPS– WGS influenced through close liaison with all agencies in the US architecture– IS-22 and others through coordination with the commercial provider

• Network Segment– Provides the interfaces to the strategic networks and connectivity between anchor and

control sites– The most significant change to the network segment in the near future will be

convergence on IP switching

Current Capability – The Ways

Commercial Wideband• Optus D1 (Ku)

• Defence owned and operated anchors• NSS-6 (Ku)

• Combo Defence owned and leased• IS-906 (C)

• Leased anchor

Military Narrowband• Optus C1

• NCS East and West (DAMA)• IS-22

• NCS West and North (DAMA)• AUS/USA MOU

Military Wideband• Optus C1 (X and Ka)

• SGS-H• WGS 1-4 (X and Ka)

• IAS East and West• OSA

• Bi-lat MOUs

Commercial Narrowband• Iridium (Voice)• Inmarsat (Legacy)• Optus B3 (Voice and BFT)

Space and Anchor Segment Capability - Today

Commercial Wideband• Gateway Xpress?• Managed services

Military Narrowband• Optus C1

• NCS PER and CBR (IW)• IS-22

• NCS PER and DWN (IW)• AUS/USA MOU

Military Wideband• Optus C1 (X and Ka)

• SGS-H and SGS-W• WGS 1-6 (X and Ka)

• SGS-E and SGS-W• OSA

• Bi-lat MOUs

Commercial Narrowband• Iridium (New applications)• Inmarsat (IP)

Space and Anchor Segment Capability - Tomorrow

Future Challenges• Enhanced UHF SATCOM Capability (JP2008 PH5A and AUS/US UHF MOU)

– AT&E/OT&E– Coordinating change to control segment– Combined operations with US

• Changes to Australian Wideband anchoring– Interim anchoring (WGS)– SGS(W)– SGS(E)

• Introduction of new SATCOM terminals and platforms• New technologies (IW, TDMA, IP)• New capabilities – Protected SATCOM, DTCS, L-Band TACSAT• Maintaining GEO orbit slots (IOR and POR)• Sustaining the SATCOM Capability (WGS follow-on)

Questions

Tactical Network Infrastructure

Strategic Network Infrastructure

DNOC Network Management

Offshore Anchoring

OffshoreAnchoring

SGS-W

Ph 3F

SGS-E

Ph 5B2

Ph 4 Ph 4

Ph 3HPh 3E Ph 5B1

JP 2008 – Wideband Military SATCOM

Initial Tranche of Land Terminals Remainder of

Land Terminals

WGS

MASTIS

Ph 5B2

Post -2nd Pass

Pre -2nd Pass

OPTUS C1

Ph 4Ph 3D

SGS-HARPh 3F