Thuraya Telecommunications Company, a UAE-based mobile satellite service operator, has launched a new tactical radio extender over a satellite solution named T-TAC. The product has been developed in collaboration with Cobham Satcom and is aimed at government and enterprise markets. T-TAC is a beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) communication solution that enables operators on land, sea, and air to communicate seamlessly.
The solution is built around an advanced Generic Converter Unit that allows users to communicate via satellite through tactical radio and push-to-talk (PTT) devices. It can be used to communicate in remote or isolated locations where line-of-sight systems are not possible due to long distances or obstacles between on-site teams and their headquarters.
T-TAC is lightweight and designed with low power consumption hardware, making it suitable for comms-on-the-move or comms-on-the-halt. It securely connects existing tactical VHF/UHF radios with a converter that links to Thuraya’s satellite via a single hop for the minimal delay. This enables reliable BLOS communications without the need to set up terrestrial infrastructure.
T-TAC comes in four different packages: T-TAC ManPack, T-TAC Aeronautical, T-TAC Marine, and T-TAC Vehicular, each adapted for different use-case scenarios. The solution provides interoperable communication capabilities between different systems, allowing military and emergency operations around the world to work together seamlessly while maintaining encryption on the radios.
The T-TAC solution will operate over existing Thuraya satellites (Thuraya-2 and Thuraya-3) as well as Thuraya-4 in the future. It employs a bent-pipe capacity lease service with highly flexible technical and commercial options. The T-TAC solution was demonstrated at the Satellite 2023 exhibition in Washington DC, which was held from March 14 to 16, 2023.
In summary, T-TAC is a cutting-edge tactical satellite communication solution designed for government and enterprise markets, enabling BLOS communications between personnel on land, sea, and air. It addresses the unique challenges faced by customers in remote or isolated locations, offering seamless communication and interoperable capabilities between different systems. T-TAC reinforces Thuraya’s commitment to developing innovative technologies that meet market needs and solve customer challenges.
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