Satellite Telecommunications in the Military: Advantages, Limitations and the Networking Challenge

Abstract

This paper analyzes the impact and benefits resulting from using modern satellite telecommunications in the military. During the last two decades, satellite telecommunications have been considered as the most significant and prioritized tool of information superiority in any operational theatre.

As it will be explained, their extensive use encompasses not only the traditional strategic military telecommunications but tactical networks as well. However, their effective and efficient use necessitates the proper evaluation of their capabilities and their limitations. Starting with a brief historical reference, we proceed by considering their advantages, together with modern modulation and networking technologies used to limit their drawbacks.

Finally, it will be shown that the most effective approach to exploit their capabilities is to include in a common network architecture all available means of wideband telecommunications, terrestrial and wireless. The idea can be further applied to provide high performance connectivity for a networked sensors C4ISR infrastructure.