GATR Technologies Ultra-Transportable Beach Ball-Style C-band Inflatable Satellite Communications (SATCOM) Antenna Systems: Tactical Communications for Military Special Operations (SPECOPS) in Adverse Conditions

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By David Crane
defrev (at) gmail (dot) com

June 21, 2010
Updated on 6/28/10

Outside the exhibition hall at SOFIC 2010 (Special Operations Infantry Conference 2010), GATR Technologies was showing off their giant beach ball-style 2.4-meter (2.4m) C-band inflatable satellite communications (SATCOM) antenna system. Made from a “flexible conductive composite fabric” capable of enduring “extreme heat, “extreme cold”, and “extreme situations”, the “big GATR” (as DefenseReview is calling it) SATCOM antenna is highly transportable and weighs approx. 18 lbs, and the whole system fits into two “airline checkable” hard cases (roller cases) that each weigh less than 100 lbs, making the whole system a sub-200-lb system.

The following is how the company explains the system’s design aspects, attributes, and advantages over competing SATCOM systems (portion in italics):

The GATR antenna uses a flexible parabolic reflector mounted at the ball’s equator. The whole ball is then cabled to the ground and easily pointed using pulleys on ground mounting plates. The ball, or radome, supports the dish, protects it from wind, and keeps it pointed toward the satellite.

The main advantage of the GATR is portability; when the ball is deflated, it rolls up (with the dish inside) like a sleeping bag and weighs 18 lbs., compared to other high-bandwidth dishes that weigh hundreds of pounds and require 4 to 10 transit cases to move.

The antenna bag, blower, hoses and plates all fit in one airline checkable case. An additional case is typically provided for electronics (a modem, spectrum analyzer, RF cables, computer, power inverter, etc.), resulting in a complete, high-bandwidth satellite communications (SATCOM) terminal in two airline checkable cases.

Tested in several situations from missile ranges, extremely tough weather conditions, emergency and disaster response, and even deployed via para-trooper; each time the GATR-Com antenna performed beyond expectations.

The GATR 2.4m enables multiple operators to engage in high-speed secure internet, video conferencing, and VoIP communications while in the field in remote locations. A trained team can set the GATR up and have it properly pointed at a geosynchronous communications satellite within a few minutes. The system does have to be pointed, manually, however (thus the “trained” qualifier).

The GATR-Com 2.4m SATCOM antenna system DefenseReview saw at the show was desert tan in color, but other colors are available. A military Special Operations (SPECOPS) or Special Forces (SF) team, however, would be well advised to utilize some kind of camouflage netting with the GATR–like the SAAB Barracuda multi-spectrum/multi-spectral Ultralight Camouflage Net System (ULCANS) or Ultralight Camouflage System (ULCAS), for instance–so as not to attract undo attention to themselves.

An even better lo-pro (low-profile) tactical comms (tactical communications) solution, though, is the developmental GATR 1-meter (1m) backpackable/manpackable SATCOM antenna system, which the company also had on display on the last day. The GATR 1m system has a much smaller tactical footprint for high-speed/low-drag SPECOPS teams than the GATR 2.4m system, but is more limited in its bandwidth capability. Since keeping a low profile is paramount to most Special Operations teams/units, the 1m system just seems to be the better solution, provided the team doesn’t need more bandwidth than the system can provide. Weighing in at approx. 50 lbs and being backpackable, this is the system that most interests Defense Review. It just seems much more appropriate for SPECOPS use. You can carry two GATR 1m systems at almost half the weight of the full-size GATR 2.4m system, and have redundancy to boot. While the 1m system is still under development, it should be available by the end of the year (2010) or early part of next year (2011). DR will try to get exact bandwidth specs/capabilities on both systems.

GATR 2.4m SATCOM Antenna System Data Sheet

“GATR” stands for “Ground Antenna Transmit Receive”.

DefenseReview is waiting on photos of the GATR 1m system for this article, so please check back in later to view them.

Company Contact Info:

GATR Technologies
11506 Gilleland Road,
Huntsville, Alabama 35803
256-382-1334 Office
256-382-1336 Fax
http://www.gatr.com
Website

Additional GATR Inflatable SATCOM Photos:

GATR Technologies Ultra-Transportable Beach Ball-Style C-band Inflatable Satellite Communications (SATCOM) Antenna Systems: Tactical Communications for Military Special Operations (SPECOPS) in Adverse Conditions by

About David Crane

David Crane started publishing online in 2001. Since that time, governments, military organizations, Special Operators (i.e. professional trigger pullers), agencies, and civilian tactical shooters the world over have come to depend on Defense Review as the authoritative source of news and information on "the latest and greatest" in the field of military defense and tactical technology and hardware, including tactical firearms, ammunition, equipment, gear, and training.

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