Suppliers await next step in Australia’s mine warfare transition
Australia’s mine countermeasure capability remains in flux as the Huon-class nears retirement, but accelerated investment in autonomous systems is opening a path for industry.
Israel-based Orbit sells quad-band satcom system into a NATO fleet
The OceanTRx 4 MIL, coming to an unnamed NATO fleet in 2025. (Picture: Orbit Communication Systems)
The system is set to be installed on vessels across the course of 2025.
Israel-based satcoms company Orbit Communication Systems has sold its military-grade OceanTRx 4MIL system into an unnamed NATO fleet. It will provide continuous satellite connectivity across four bands.
The OceanTRx 4MIL was sold to a European integrator for the fleet on a US$3 million contract. Orbit said it would be installed on military maritime platforms across the course of 2025.
The OceanTRx 4MIL quad-band system was based on the proven OceanTRx4 system, but supports a variety of antenna configurations with a diameter of 1.15 metres.
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Orbit selected as satellite communications systems supplier for one of the world’s principal navies
It operates in Ku, X, Ka Commercial and Ka Military frequencies, and allows for the simultaneous operation of multiple frequencies, making it suitable for global military use. The system will be installed in vessels across the fleet by engineers supplied by the integrator, rather than by Orbit itself.
Orbit supports a wide range of satellite orbits across its range of systems, from Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), Geostationary Orbit (GEO), and Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO). But the OceanTRx 4 MIL has been positioned since its launch as the company’s signature offering for navies.
Orbit claimed that by catering to the increasingly diverse signal needs of modern military operations, in the OceanTRx 4 MIL, it had created a system that would let forces maintain critical communication lines, enhance their situational awareness and operational effectiveness across a spectrum of environments.
Daniel Eschar, CEO of Orbit, said the new $3m contract was a mark of Orbit’s continuing commitment to growth within the sector, and to continually evolve to meet the rapidly-changing signal needs of the world’s most demanding navies – including those of NATO Allies.
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