ViaSat award continues widespread adoption of MD-1366 EBEM modems

ViaSat has received additional orders for its MD-1366 EBEM modems including the Ethernet Service Expansion Module (ESEM) baseband interface. To create and standardize on more efficient, open-standards-based modem waveforms, the Defense Information Systems Agency, US Army, and US Navy initiated the program to create the MD-1366 EBEM and selected ViaSat to develop and produce it. The MD-1366 helps the Department of Defense and NATO fulfill new policy for interoperable, efficient IP communications over DoD-owned satellites. The value of the follow-on orders totals $1.4 million.

"This order continues the adoption of the government's latest Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) satellite communications waveform standard in the form of the MD-1366 EBEM," said Phil Chacon, business director for ViaSat C4I satcom. "The MD-1366 enables interoperability, bandwidth-on-demand efficiencies, and competitive equipment procurement."

The MD-1366 EBEM is the DoD approved, open-standards based FDMA modem (per DoDI 4630.09), promoting DoD-wide FDMA waveform interoperability as well as offering other sophisticated capabilities:

· The ESEM plug-in interface enables Ethernet baseband data (10/100/1000 BaseT) interoperability among DoD FDMA modems by concurrently transmitting Internet Protocol (IPv4 or IPv6) Ethernet baseband traffic as well as non-IP data flows.

· The ESEM together with the Information Throughput Adaptation (ITA) and Radio Aware Routing features of the MD-1366 move users beyond the traditional "fixed channel data rate" environment of FDMA communications to automatically maximize data throughput. When environmental conditions deteriorate, the modem switches to a more robust modulation and coding scheme to maintain the connection.

· ITA and Radio Aware Routing can provide more than a 100% improvement in data throughput in traditional fixed-channel military satellite communication environments where a 3 to 4 dB link margin is typical.

ViaSat has delivered over 3,500 MD-1366 EBEM modems to the DoD. The modem replaces legacy and proprietary serial modems, such as the DMD2050 and BEM7650, and has become the most widely adopted FDMA modem since the OM-73.

Source: ViaSat