Windmill International Inc., said two of its tactical satellite communications systems are about to become programs of record, though the process is not yet complete, officials said yesterday.
The KA-10 system is an improved version of the AN/PRS-11, developed originally under the Air Force small business innovation research program, and is available now; the KA-20 is a development to reduce the size and weight of the KA-10.
Today, more than 200 KA-10 Global broadcast Service (GBS) suitcase-portable receive suites are deployed and in active mission use, officials said.
The KA-10 uses the Honeywell (HON) GS-GBS flat panel antenna and provides a compact, patented ultra-light weight auto acquisition system and is battery powered for up to 14 hours of continuously for field operations.
The unit goes from set up to signal acquisition time in less than five minutes with no tools or loose parts, officials at the Nashua, N.H.,-based employee-owned company booth at Satellite 2012 conference in Washington, D.C., said yesterday.
The operational sequence is simple: deploy, power-on, acquire, the officials said. The system is modular and scalable and operates over military-owned Ka-band satellites, providing low cost and wide bandwidth over Worldwide Global Satcom (WGS) satellites.
Windmill International also received some funds to make the KA-10 system even smaller, developing the KA-20 GBS rucksack portable receive suite (RPRS). It weighs less than 20 pounds for the entire system weight, compared to the 32 pounds the KA weighs in the tactical carry mode. It also has the option of a solar power accessory kit.
The company’s Tactical Satcom team is developing a line of Receive Suite products.