Inmarsat rolls out new terminal to support US airborne reconnaissance missions

Inmarsat Government has announced the availability of a new-generation L-band Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Ultra-Lightweight (LAISR ULW) user terminal.

The terminal, consisting of a core module and antenna, is the latest addition to the company’s LAISR family. The ULW variant delivers access to full duplex, secure beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) communications via Inmarsat's global ELERA L-band network.

LAISR ULW provides customers with data rate throughput to support BLOS communications, while further reducing total terminal SWaP. It uses an integrated antenna self-steering capability, does not require external navigation data from the host platform and can operate in GPS-denied environments.

Related Articles

Inmarsat clinches Commercial Broadband Satellite Program work

AUSA 2022: MAG Aerospace and L3Harris propose converted commercial bizjet for US Army airborne ISR

General Atomics achieves AI flight milestone with Avenger UAV

LAISR ULW is enabled by the Black ICE Medium Software Defined Radio (SDR), which implements the Digital Video Broadcasting Satellite Second Generation (DVB-S2X) waveform in a low-SWaP form factor. 

It also includes a Radio Frequency Front End (RFFE), which provides robust filtering capabilities including automatic terrestrial interference protection. LAISR ULW also leverages a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) terrestrial backbone to securely transport customer traffic from platform to destination.

Antenna options cover compact omni-directional patches to fuselage-mounted, high-gain, steered variants. The terminal can be implemented in standalone configuration or retrofitted to an existing aircraft.

Matt Wissler, CTO, Inmarsat Government, said: 'We built these solutions tailored specifically to meet our government customers’ mission-critical needs. 

'The ULW terminal reflects upon their critical requirements for SATCOM-enabled BLOS connectivity and provides small UAS platforms (Group 2+) with a globally portable communications solution that provides high-rate return and maintains platform range to support ISR missions worldwide.'

Related Equipment in Defence Insight

LAISR ULW

Black ICE Medium