STM Group + ViaSat… Major Milestone For Modems (SATCOM)

[SatNews] With waveform interoperability, costs are lowered and more options are provided…

ViaSat Inc. (Nasdaq:VSAT) and STM Group Inc. (STM) have successfully demonstrated waveform interoperability between the STM SatLink 2000 modem and the ViaSat DoD-standard Joint Internet Protocol Modem (JIPM). The testing is a major milestone in the JIPM program, which has a key underlying goal of providing more options and lower costs to DoD and NATO forces through interoperability between modems from different manufacturers. The JIPM program, initiated by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), establishes the JIPM as the government-standard IP network satellite modem for connecting U.S. forces. The JIPM standard is based on the adaptive and variable coding modulation techniques used in the global DVB-S2 and DVB-RCS standards. Through the success of this testing exercise, products that comply with this latest IP network modem standard are guaranteed basic waveform interoperability.

The JIPM modem combines the flexibility of the commercial standards with information assurance to deliver secure, high-speed IP communication to military and government agencies. Powered by an IP networking backbone across the service area, warfighters using JIPM-compatible satellite modems can efficiently share voice, video, and data communications over military and commercial satellites (including X- and Ka-band). “Our testing shows that the STM modem meets the strict interpretation of the DVB-S2/RCS open standard and the flexible, high-performance network operation that warfighters need,” said Phil Chacon, business director of C4I Satcom at ViaSat. “The SatLink 2000 design makes it a good choice to join the JIPM ‘family of modems’ concept.”

“We believe that design excellence and strict compliance with the DVB-S2/RCS standard is fundamental to increasing use of our products,” said Umar Javed, executive vice president at STM. “Our successful interoperability testing with ViaSat will benefit U.S. government and NATO customers and increase the demand for standards-compliant modems.”