Ball Aerospace’s Airlink X-1 antenna. Photo: Ball Aerospace

[Via Satellite 07-27-2016] XTAR and Ball Aerospace have demonstrated a high-throughput service for the United States military using Ball’s Airlink X-1 antenna configured for the C130 hatch and XTAR satellite capacity. In association with its customer, the U.S. Air Force Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities (TENCAP), Support to Special Operations Forces, Ball developed phased array “sub-array” building blocks that allow for the X-Band aperture to be configured to meet the size, weight, power and throughput requirements for most desired airborne, maritime and ground platforms. The company says the service operates over a lighter- and lower-profile antenna that can easily be taken on and off each aircraft without adjustments to the airframe.

In the C130 hatch configuration, the Ball terminal transmitted 4.5 megabits per second of data over the XTAR Lant satellite located at the 30 degrees west location. Based on the successful satcom demonstration and antenna technical exchanges, Ball’s Airlink X-1 now is certified to access XTAR satellites. The demonstration took place at the U.S. Army’s Aberdeen Proving Ground facility in Maryland.