Polo Marconi SATCOM VSAT Deployable Tactical VSAT Terminal for Satellite Broadband Communications in Field Operations

The Polo Marconi SATCOM VSAT is the tactical satellite terminal designed for the campaign command post and command vehicle that need IP broadband connectivity independent of terrestrial infrastructure — in operations in areas without cellular coverage, in natural disaster zones where communications infrastructure has collapsed, or in jungle or altiplano operations where no infrastructure exists — to transmit real-time video, access the remote COP (Common Operating Picture), and maintain VoIP communication with higher command.

The 75 cm offset parabolic antenna with integrated low-noise feed provides sufficient gain to operate in Ka band (26.5-40 GHz) with high-capacity military or commercial broadband satellites (XTAR, Intelsat) and in Ku band (12-18 GHz) with conventional military satellites (Syracuse, Skynet, XTAR-EUR), selectable by changing the feed in 15 minutes without specialized tools. The automatic satellite acquisition system calculates the optimal antenna position from the terminal's GPS coordinates and the target satellite's ephemeris, pointing and acquiring signal in under 3 minutes from antenna deployment.

The 3-axis antenna stabilization system (azimuth, elevation, polarization) with single-step actuators and integrated fiber optic gyroscope compensates vehicle movement up to 30 km/h on unpaved track, maintaining the satellite link active during tactical movement — COTM (Communications On The Move) capability — without interrupting VoIP sessions or COP video stream. The 5W BUC (Block Upconverter) amplifier output power guarantees the 2 Mbps uplink even in heavy rain conditions (8 dB fade margin for 50 mm/h rain in tropical zone), sufficient to transmit H.264 720p video from one situational awareness camera and VoIP voice for 4 simultaneous lines.