Harris Corporation Successfully Completes Final Test of First Navy Satellite Terminal with Simultaneous X- and Ka-band Capabilities
7
April
2010
Harris
Corporation
has
completed
the
operational
test
of
the
first
U.S.
Navy
satellite
communications
terminal
to
simultaneously
provide
standard
military
X-band
communications
and
higher-speed
Ka-band
communications
through
a
single
dual-band
feed.
The
AN/WSC-6G(V)9
terminal
is
designed
for
use
onboard
the
Navy's
Arleigh
Burke
class
of
guided-missile
destroyers.
The
addition
of
Ka-band
capabilities
to
the
terminals
is
important
because
it
enables
the
Navy
fleet
to
take
advantage
of
the
increased
bandwidth
and
higher
data
rates
available
on
the
next-generation
Wideband
Global
SATCOM
(WGS)
satellite
constellation.
WGS
represents
a
major
improvement
in
communications
bandwidth
and
can
supply
more
than
10
times
the
capacity
of
existing
legacy
systems.
Successful
completion
of
the
operational
test,
as
well
as
environmental
qualification
and
military
satellite
certification,
enables
the
Navy
to
begin
fielding
systems.
The
milestone
represents
the
last
phase
of a
10-year,
$172
million
contract
awarded
to
Harris
in
2000
by
the
U.S.
Navy
Space
and
Naval
Warfare
Systems
Command
(SPAWAR),
San
Diego.
The
Harris
AN/WSC-6E(V)9
"Ka-ready"
terminals
currently
installed
throughout
the
fleet
can
now
be
upgraded
from
C-/X-band
to
include
the
Ka-band
communications
capabilities
through
pier-side
installation
of a
Ka-band
electronics
kit.
Fielding
of
Ka-band
kits
is
expected
to
begin
in
the
U.S.
Government's
fiscal
year
2011.
"Successful
completion
of
this
critical
test
is a
defining
milestone
in
this
program,
which
is
designed
to
provide
the
Navy
with
the
best
capabilities
for
its
satellite
communications
network
backbone,"
said
Wes
Covell,
president,
Harris
Defense
Programs.
"This
program
is
an
excellent
example
of
the
long-term
confidence
the
Navy
has
in
Harris
products
and
services,
and
of
our
commitment
to
being
the
leading
supplier
of
advanced
satellite
communications
technology
to
our
naval
forces."
Harris
Defense
Programs
develops,
supplies,
and
integrates
communications
and
information
processing
products,
systems,
and
networks
for
a
diverse
base
of
aerospace,
terrestrial
and
maritime
applications
supporting
U.S.
Department
of
Defense
missions.
Harris
is
committed
to
delivering
leading-edge
technologies
that
support
the
military's
ongoing
transformation
to
network-centric
communications.
