Marine Corps Begins Fielding Mobile Satellite Communication System
by U.S. Marine Corps Matt Gonzales, Systems Command September
8, 2019
The Marine Corps recently began
fielding a next-generation narrowband satellite communication system
that assists warfighters in connecting to networks on the
battlefield.
Fielded in the first quarter of 2019, the Mobile
User Objective System provides satellite communication capabilities
to mobile or stationary Marines. The system enables the warfighter
to leverage cellular technology to increase access to voice and data
communication while using the MUOS network.
 March 30, 2019 - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Frankie Garcia, a radio chief with
Alpha Battery, Battalion Landing Team 3/5, 11th Marine
Expeditionary Unit (MEU), calls for a radio check using a
PRC-117G radio at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton,
California. The Marines and Sailors of the 11th MEU are
conducting routine operations as part of the Boxer
Amphibious Ready Group. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance
Cpl. Jason Monty)
|
“MUOS is another way for warfighters to communicate in a tactical
environment,” said Eddie Young, project officer of Multiband Radio
II Family of Systems at Marine Corps Systems Command. “The system
brings SATCOM capabilities in various formats to Marines.”
The MUOS capability encompasses updated firmware to the AN/PRC-117G
radio system and one of three antenna kits. The antennas help
Marines simultaneously access SATCOM networks and gives them secure
and nonsecure internet access. MUOS
also improves overall reliability in urban environments, challenging
vegetation and other arduous conditions.
“MUOS is essentially
software and an antenna capability augmenting existing hardware,”
said Noah Slemp, systems engineer at MCSC. “It’s similar to adding
an application to a cellphone.”
The first service to widely
employ MUOS, the Corps is deploying thousands of antenna kits for
the AN/PRC-117G radio system and hundreds of diplexers that enable
vehicular systems to access MUOS satellites.
“The Marine
Corps is leading all services in terms of getting MUOS to
warfighters,” said Young.
Satellite communication has become
increasingly important for the Corps in the 21st century. According
to the Department of Defense, more than 50 percent of DOD satellite
communication involves narrowband communication. Yet, this form of
communication accounts for less than 2 percent of the DOD’s
bandwidth, making it an efficient way to transmit information.
MUOS is particularly important because the SATCOM infrastructure
of the legacy system is nearing its expiration, said Slemp. As a
result, the Corps intends to incrementally replace the older
capabilities with the MUOS waveform, enabling more Marines to access
ultra-high frequency tactical satellite communications.
Prior
to fielding MUOS, MCSC had to demonstrate to the Milestone Decision
Authority that the system was safe, met technical performance and
was ready to use by the warfighter. Since MUOS’s Field User
Evaluation in 2017, Marines have raved about the benefits of the
system.
“Our Marines find MUOS useful in completing their
missions,” said Young. “We’ve received a lot of positive feedback
thus far.”
The efforts of Young’s team in getting the system
out to the warfighter have not gone unnoticed. In May 2018, at a
Narrowband Working Group conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado,
the Joint Staff J6 and the DOD Chief Information Officer recognized
Young and Slemp for leading the services in employing MUOS.
The J6 and DOD CIO also emphasized the joint effort between the
Multiband Radio II team and the Naval Information Warfare Center in
using the Multiple Reconfigurable Training Systems, an interactive
training aid that will be used to assist in the rapid fielding of
MUOS.
“It was motivating to see that we were recognized for
our efforts, because the team had put in a considerable amount of
time and effort to make this happen,” said Young. “We recognize the
warfighter needs this capability, and we’ve done everything we can
to get it to them in a timely manner.”
The U.S. Marines |
Marines - The Few, The Proud |
U.S. Marines Gifts |
U.S. Marine Corps |
U.S.
Department of Defense
|
|