General Dynamics Opens New Radio Testing Laboratory for MUOS Satellite-Ground Station Communications

April 22, 2014

General Dynamics C4 Systems has opened the MUOS Radio Testing Lab at its Scottsdale, Ariz., location. The U.S. Navy-approved laboratory is one of two that supports testing for radio-terminals intending to connect with the MUOS space-ground network. The lab is equipped with hardware and software that simulates the radio's connectivity with the MUOS ground network.

"The MUOS Radio Testing Lab in Scottsdale will help the U.S. military and government to cost-effectively and efficiently add MUOS-capable radios to their communications network," said Chris Marzilli, president of General Dynamics C4 Systems. "This brings this critical operational capability even closer to being available to military and government personnel."

To test connectivity with the MUOS system, radios are provisioned with the General Dynamics-developed MUOS waveform to make secure voice calls and complete data transmissions at different data rates across the simulated MUOS network. The MUOS waveform, housed in the government waveform information repository, leverages the widely-used commercial Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) cell phone technology.

The first terminal to receive government authorization and enter the Scottsdale lab was Rockwell Collins' ARC-210 radio that began testing in March. Companies interested in accessing the General Dynamics C4 Systems MUOS Radio Testing Lab must first contact and receive approval from the Navy's Communications Satellite Program office, PMW 146, to authorize access to the test facility.