NETANYA, Israel, Sept. 9, 2021 – Inmarsat Government, the leading provider of secure, global, mission-critical telecommunications to the U.S. government, Orbit Communications Systems Ltd. (TASE: ORBI), a leading provider of airborne communications solutions, and Boeing [NYSE: BA] Commercial Satellite Services today announced that the Orbit GX30 multi-purpose terminal (MPT) demonstration system has successfully completed the first phase of testing with government users over Inmarsat Global Xpress (GX) and high-capacity, global military Ka-band. This follows the delivery of the Orbit GX46 MPT 46 cm antenna systems that have been in production since 2020.
GX is the world’s first and only, globally available, seamless mobile wideband service. In U.S. government service since July 2014, GX has established itself as the gold standard for reliable communication across land, sea and air domains for assured mobile connectivity.
Boeing’s managed network service and secure commanding of the Inmarsat high-capacity, global military Ka-band (HCX) system provides U.S. government users with global “center of the beam” connectivity. Using hosted payloads on the Inmarsat 5 satellites, Boeing provides users 100-740 MHz of steerable, bi-directional spot beam capacity. This allows for both manual steering and closed-loop steering to always keep the designated user or platform in the center of the beam with the highest possible radiated power.
The GX30 terminal delivered a 126 Mbps+ forward link and a 29 Mbps+ return link. The MPT terminal is designed to maintain uninterrupted connectivity to the network during all flight phases.
GX30 is a modular, multi-role terminal that operates in both the GX commercial and military Ka-band utilizing a 30 cm antenna. The fully integrated three (3) Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) terminal consists of a RF antenna assembly (which includes all RF components), a Ka-band Power Supply Unit (KPSU) and a Modem Unit including Inmarsat’s G-MODMAN for Global Xpress service and the Boeing WC5000 for Mil-Ka high throughput applications, making it one of the easiest to install and service tail-mount terminals available.
The GX30 groundbreaking compact terminal design has the lowest weight on tail (less than 10 kg) and lowest power consumption of any 30 cm terminal on the market today. It was developed for installation in a range of business jets, military aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It complies with industry regulations and standards including MIL-STD-188-164C, RTCA DO-160G, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).
The transmit performance of the terminal is best in class and its lightweight, small-footprint enables worldwide connectivity, supporting the full Ka frequency band. It has been built to be compatible with the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) system, thus making it an ideal choice for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions. Furthermore, the terminal supports high return data link rates making it the optimal choice for users and missions, where sending large amounts of data from the aircraft is a critical aspect of the connectivity solution.
Daniel Eshchar, CEO of Orbit, said: “Orbit offers a complete range of airborne satellite communications terminals that maximize flexibility and enable future scalability. Built to fulfil the ‘everywhere, all-the-time’ coverage requirements of both the military and commercial airborne users, the GX30 MPT provides the best-in-class transmit performance under the harshest environmental conditions.”
Avi Shukrun, Vice President R&D of Orbit, said: “The state-of-the art GX30 30 cm antenna systems’ innovative technology is based on groundbreaking recent developments. The antenna’s compact system design exceeds the requirements and saves on operational costs by exceling in performance.”
Steve Gizinski, President of Inmarsat Government, said:” Our partnership with Orbit enables Inmarsat Government to respond rapidly to market needs with fully qualified wideband terminals. We look forward to the GX30 joining our terminal offerings with its best-in-class performance, size, weight and power. This terminal opens up new market segments for Inmarsat Government. It is a game changer for those that demand the very best in connectivity in one of the most difficult aero applications.”
Jeof McAllister, Vice President, Boeing Commercial Satellite Services, said: “The capability of the Orbit terminal with the Inmarsat GX and HCX system coupled with Boeing’s managed network service and secure commanding system provides U.S. government users dedicated capacity and superior throughput. This combination delivers unparalleled mission flexibility for global operations, with two times the data rate and ‘center-of-the-beam’ capability in a compact package.”
Contacts
Media Enquiries:
Alena Koci
Corporate Communications
Tel: +703 261 6425
Orbit Marketing Communications
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+972 9 892 2777
ABOUT INMARSAT GOVERNMENT
The U.S. government has relied on and trusted Inmarsat satellite services since 1979. Inmarsat Government continues to deliver the world’s most advanced global, mobile satellite communication services to U.S. defense, intelligence, homeland security, public safety and civilian agencies, with highly reliable, secure and affordable connectivity. Built with government users in mind, Inmarsat Government provides resilient, flexible capabilities to complement government satellite resources, anytime, anywhere. Leveraging an industry-leading scalable multiband network infrastructure, Inmarsat Government offers a suite of managed network services and end-to-end communication solutions to support users on land, at sea and in the air, even in the world’s most remote regions. Headquartered in Reston, VA, Inmarsat Government is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Inmarsat Group Holdings Limited.
ABOUT INMARSAT
Inmarsat is the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications. It owns and operates the world’s most diverse global portfolio of mobile telecommunications satellite networks, and holds a multi-layered, global spectrum portfolio, covering L-band, Ka-band and S-band, enabling unparalleled breadth and diversity in the solutions it provides. Inmarsat’s long-established global distribution network includes not only the world’s leading channel partners but also its own strong direct retail capabilities, enabling end to end customer service assurance.
The company has an unrivalled track record of operating the world’s most reliable global mobile satellite telecommunications networks, sustaining business and mission critical safety & operational applications for more than 40 years. It is also a major driving force behind technological innovation in mobile satellite communications, sustaining its leadership through a substantial investment and a powerful network of technology and manufacturing partners.
Inmarsat operates across a diversified portfolio of sectors with the financial resources to fund its business strategy and holds leading positions in the Maritime, Government, Aviation and Enterprise satcoms markets, operating consistently as a trusted, responsive and high-quality partner to its customers across the globe.
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About Orbit
Orbit Communication Systems Ltd. (TASE: ORBI), a leading global provider of airborne communications, satellite-tracking, maritime, and ground-station solutions, is helping to expand and redefine how we connect. You’ll find Orbit systems on airliners and jet fighters, cruise ships and navy vessels, ground stations and offshore platforms. We deliver innovative, cost-effective, and highly reliable solutions to commercial operators, major navies and air forces, space agencies and emerging new space companies.
About Boeing
Boeing Commercial Satellite Services delivers satellite communications to our partners operating on land, at sea, and in air. We design secure, scalable, military-grade solutions that are flexible and responsive to dynamic mission needs. Boeing offers a fully managed network service that supports user-operated or automated secure beam commanding, including platform tracking, to enable our customers to steer their capacity anywhere in the world. The benefits we bring to government customers include rapid response to contingency operations, augmented capacity to Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellites and full compatibility with U.S. DoD certified terminals.