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The Transformation Communications Satellite (TSAT) System is intended to provide internet-like capability that extends high-bandwidth satellite capabilities to deployed troops worldwide, and deliver an order of magnitude increase in available military bandwidth. An earlier DID article covered a contract for replanning some technical aspects of TSAT, and offered some background on the $14-18 billion TSAT program.

In related news, Lockheed Martin’s competitor Raytheon Co. recently provided an initial look at the software environment it is preparing in a bid to provide the integrated ground stations and networks for the TSAT system.

This is part of an effort to promote the team of Raytheon, Boeing Co., General Dynamics, and AT&T in bidding for the $2 billion TSAT Mission Operations System, or TMOS network. Raytheon is also working with such subprime companies that include Cisco Systems Inc., Network Associates Inc., Sun Microsystems Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co., Opnet, ITT Information Systems, and SRC. They are competing against the team led by Lockheed-Martin and Northrop-Grumman.

The TMOS ground system and communications network is what gives the Transformational Communications Architecture the ability to act as a broadband, on-demand global Internet based on IP. Raytheon worked with AT&T to add a network management platform whereby IP bandwidth can be requested and provisioned, with service level agreements and provision authority for regional commanders. This would ensure that critical systems receive bandwidth higher priority and enforced quality of service.

Raytheon spokespeople also noted that TMOS stations could be built before the satellites are launched in 2013, and used in conjunction with existing nodes in the Global Information Grid Bandwidth Extension project.

The TMOS contract is expected to be awarded in October 2005.

Source: EETimes, April 6/05 – Raytheon demonstrates software for T-SAT Ground Stations