Hughes Demonstrates Seamless SATCOM on Military Helicopters

Zero Packet Loss over Ka and Ku-band Satellite Channels during Flight

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Mar 18, 2013, 08:45 ET

GERMANTOWN, Md., March 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), the global leader in broadband satellite solutions and services, today announced that it has successfully demonstrated high-throughput video and data transmission over SATCOM links on a variety of rotary wing platforms. Employing an advanced waveform technology developed by Hughes, the new communications-on-the-move (COTM) microsat system achieved zero packet loss on transmission and reception through the rotor blades, over both Ka and Ku-band satellite channels.

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Tests were conducted on a variety of military and commercial helicopters in both static and in-flight environments that included numerous pitch, bank and roll maneuvers. In all cases, the Hughes microsat system successfully transmitted full motion video (FMV) beyond the line-of-sight (BLoS) through the rotor blades over both conventional Ku-band global beam and Ka-band global or spot beam satellites. The system operates with a variety of commercially-available airborne antennas, facilitating integration with various government, military and commercial platforms.

"Hughes continues to lead in developing innovative, cost-effective mobility solutions for military and commercial applications," said Rick Lober, vice president and general manager of Hughes Defense and Intelligence Systems Division. "Our new microsat technology is ideal for C2 and ISR missions in all airborne as well as maritime and land environments, combining patented waveform design on a proven, and common platform for all applications -- unlike other single-use solutions."

The Hughes microsat rotary wing system is based on the company's advanced HX satellite broadband platform, which meets the Federal Information Processing (FIPS) 140-2, Level 2 encryption standard and employs patented and patent pending waveform technology.

To learn more, visit http://defense.hughes.com/solutions-and-services/tactical-satcom-systems/airborne.

About Hughes Network Systems
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes) is the world's leading provider of satellite broadband for home and office, delivering innovative network technologies, managed services, and solutions for enterprises and governments globally. HughesNet^® is the #1 high-speed satellite Internet service in the marketplace, with offerings to suit every budget. To date, Hughes has shipped more than 3.3 million systems to customers in over 100 countries, representing over 50 percent market share. Its products employ global standards approved by the TIA, ETSI and ITU organizations, including IPoS/DVB-S2, RSM-A, and GMR-1.

Headquartered outside Washington, D.C., in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes operates sales and support offices worldwide, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), a premier global provider of satellite operations and digital TV solutions. For additional information about Hughes, please visit www.hughes.com.

SOURCE Hughes Network Systems, LLC