Teleport Program

Abstract

The Department of Defense (DoD) Teleport system is a Satellite Communications (SATCOM) gateway that links the deployed warfighter to the sustaining base. It provides high-throughput, multi-band, and multi-media telecommunications services for deployed forces. The system provides centralized integration capabilities, contingency capacity, and the necessary interfaces to access the Defense Information System Network (DISN) in a seamless, interoperable, and economical manner. The Teleport system is an upgrade of satellite telecommunication capabilities at selected DoD gateways indentified as Standardized Tactical Entry Point (STEP) sites. Each Teleport investment increases the warfighters’ ability to communicate with a worldwide interconnected set of information capabilities, which is vital for the DoD to maintain a persistent presence among its adversaries. A Teleport Acquisition Decision Memorandum (ADM) dated 2 March 2010 approved the Materiel Development Decision (MDD) for the next increment of Teleport, Generation 3. The ADM approved using a three phased approach to decouple the dependencies between the enhancements and minimize risk to the overall program. Phase 1: Gateway Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) [Extended Data Rate (XDR)] terminals. Teleport Generation 3 Phase 1 will provide AEHF XDR capability to warfighters worldwide, by installing terminals from the Navy Multiband Terminal (NMT) program at Teleport and other gateway sites. To realize this capability, the TPO will procure 19 terminals from the NMT program, installing one terminal at the Teleport test bed, and fielding 18 terminals at Teleport/gateway sites in the FY10-15 timeframe. Phase 2: Gateway Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) X/Ka-band terminals. Teleport Generation 3 Phase 2 will provide enhanced WGS X/Ka capability to warfighters worldwide, by installing terminals from the Modernization of Enterprise Terminal (MET) program at Teleport and other gateway sites. This gateway enhancement allows Teleport to refresh end-of-life Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) terminals and remain interoperable with tactical WGS X/Ka-band users. Additionally, it enables the Teleport system to maintain operational availability consistent with Generation 2 requirements and reduce the overall life-cycle cost of X/Ka capabilities across the DoD. To realize this capability, the TPO will procure and field 14 METs at Teleport/gateway sites beginning in FY12. Phase 3: MUOS to Legacy Ultra High Frequency (UHF) systems interoperability. Teleport Generation 3 Phase 3 will provide interoperability between MUOS users and Legacy UHF users by installing MUOS-to-Legacy UHF SATCOM Gateway Component (MLGC) suites of equipment at Teleport/gateway sites. The equipment suites from the MLGC program will enable translation between the two UHF waveforms, duplex operating modes, crypto algorithms, and vocoders. To realize this capability, six MLGC suites will be fielded at Teleport/gateway sites in the FY10-15 timeframe. The equipment suites will be fielded in accordance with a planned Generation 3 Phase 3 CDR architecture. The Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) is the next generation Department of Defense (DoD) Ultra High Frequency (UHF) SATCOM system that will provide the warfighter with modern worldwide mobile communication services, utilizing the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) waveform for use in the military UHF SATCOM band. The MLGC program will provide the capability to interconnect all services between legacy UHF satellite systems and the MUOS. This will provide the warfighter the voice and data communications bridging these satellite systems supporting maritime, airborne, and ground mobile tactical operations. Without Phase 1, the warfighter will not have reachback to DISN services using the higher data rate capabilities of the AEHF satellite constellation providing DoD’s most secure and interoperable SATCOM capability. Warfighters will be forced to lower data rate modes of operation over AEHF that would constrain applications and services requiring the increased data rates provided with the XDR mode. Without Phase 2, Teleport and other gateway sites will have insufficient capacity to fully utilize the advance WGS capabilities. The current complement of enterprise terminals are approaching end of life and without a replacement program, warfighters will be forced to conduct operations with limited assets resulting in possible mission failure. Without Phase 3, MUOS will not be interoperable with existing UHF SATCOM equipment and Tactical users deployed in harm’s way will be unable to efficiently communicate with one another and their commanders through existing legacy systems. Without the MLGC program, warfighters utilizing the current UHF satellite systems and services will not be able to communicate with the warfighters equipped with the MUOS capable services. This means that all military forces operating with legacy radios will be unable to communicate to military forces operating with MUOS radios. The direct impact of this and based on the mission of the warfighter will force the warfighter to carry two separate terminals depending on their specific mission and network requirements. Further, the warfighter will be forced to continue operating in their existing environment (either Legacy UHF or MUOS), delaying the phase out/end of life for UHF legacy terminals and delaying the planning for the fielding, training and transition of the MUOS capability. The warfighter will be forced to standup separate networks based on the deployed terminals. This results in a lack of coordination, risk to forces, and risk to mission success in tactical missions globally.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2013
• Source ID: NS01_0303610K_7_0400_PB_2013

Tags

Readers

• Tactical Satellite Communications Systems Engineering.

Technology Areas

• Space
• Space - Satellites