Viasat has successfully supported the US Air Force’s (USAF) Air Mobility Command (AMC) during a major military exercise, Mobility Guardian 2023 (MG23), involving 3,000 personnel and 70 aircraft from the US and Allied Forces.
USAF’s MG23 exercise was completed in summer 2023 and tested a rapid ‘hub and spoke’ operational model across challenging operational environments. One of the biggest of the year, the Air Force exercise featured complex test flights and operational scenarios across 3,000 miles of the Pacific region, including over Japan, Australia, and Hawaii. US allies also participating in the exercise included Canada, France, New Zealand, and the UK.
For the exercise, Viasat provided resilient and interoperable airborne communications through its C-130 Hercules Beyond Line-of-Sight (BLOS) hatch terminal. The Roll On/Roll Off high-capacity Ka-band terminal enables airborne command and control (C2) and situational awareness during missions, allowing rapid deployment, and increased maneuverability of forces. This provides Automated Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency (APACE) capabilities by seamlessly roaming across orbits and networks for resilient communications.
Viasat also provided MG23’s Contingency Response Group with its next generation interoperable tactical gateway, called Move Out/Jump Off (MOJO) Next. The latest MOJO Next terminal integrates with USAF’s operational systems to crosslink incompatible networks and provide C2 and situational awareness on the battlefield, even when troops are deployed thousands of miles from home.
The MOJO Next tactical gateway was designed for operations in remote locations where network extensions are needed to execute the mission and to crosslink incompatible networks and messages into clear and interoperable communications. This 360-degree view of the battlespace provides AMC the ability to exchange situational awareness data with other Link 16 or SADL-enabled platforms, so all assets will be fully integrated into the common operational picture. It was introduced following the AMC’s Spring Industry Preview in April, in which the Air Force presented its challenges to suppliers.
To enable ground BLOS during the exercise, Viasat’s multi-mission terminal provided a small, rapidly deployable, multi-band, multi-waveform capability, utilizing a software defined modem (CBM-400) for increased resiliency. Viasat’s NOMAD terminal also provided Ka-band connectivity with an easy, on-button activation. Lastly, the company used its NetAgility™ SD-WAN networking router to bridge these networks with APACE to ensure robust and resilient connectivity.
Mobility Guardian first launched in 2017, with 2023 being the first time it was completed outside the continental US to better prepare for the challenges of operating in the vast Pacific region.
“Air Mobility Command purposefully challenged itself by operating at major pace and scale with this mission - so our technology had to rise to the occasion,” said Jason Sabol, Director, C3/NC3 Programs, Viasat. “Modern military operations are all about mobility and maneuverability. We’re proud to be able to offer the connectivity, software, and terminals to provide that agility, exactly when and where it’s most needed.”
“By developing a modular, flexible, interoperable solution based on our universal Roll On/Roll Off kit, Viasat demonstrated a technology roadmap to standardize the AMC fleet utilizing a C-130 hatch mount system and standard wide body BLOS solution. By creating a homogeneous fleet, AMC will be able to drive down modification costs with future technology insertion, leveraging an attractive Viasat fleet pricing model.”
For more information visit: www.viasat.com
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