Information dissemination via Global Broadcast Service (GBS)

The Army is currently exploiting commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components and technology in its effort to develop a communication system to disseminate wideband data and video to field commanders and the warfighter. The communications scenario being used in this effort is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS), which employs COTS components. The Army is interested in the expansion of coverage from the Continental United States (CONUS) to global in order to develop a Global Broadcast Service (GBS) via satellite communications (SATOM). The most recent technology demonstration completed by the Space Technology Branch to date, Joint Warfighter Interoperability Demonstration 1995 (JWID-95), utilized geosynchronous satellites with CONUS coverage plus Hawaii and the Caribbean Islands. A central uplink was located at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, DC that included all data management and broadcast management facilities. A Ku-band transponder was used to pass 23 Mbps of information for 3 video channels and 5 data channels (ATM and non-ATM data). The system has performed well and feedback to date has been highly favorable. In order to develop a fieldable system which will meet the user's requirements, a number of issues are being explored. The issues include acquiring adequate payload resources (satellite, UAV; airborne relay, etc.) in the region of interest with access on demand, investigating equipment configuration options for use in a tactical environment, data security considerations (COMSEC, INFOSEC, cryptos, KEYMAT, etc.), establishing a return link, development of an on-the-move capability and expanding the coverage into worldwide or near worldwide.