Viasat has completed the installation of two redundant Network Control Stations (NCSs) for the Spanish Ministry of Defence (MoD). These NCSs are designed to support SpainSat NG I and SpainSat NG II satellites. One station will control the UHF Time Domain Multiple Access (TDMA) networks, while the other serves as a backup. The installations were finished ahead of SpainSat NG I’s expected entry into commercial service.
The demand for Ultra High Frequency (UHF) radio technology remains strong among military organizations worldwide. Although there was a shift towards higher frequency bands like Ka and Ku in the early 2000s, UHF technology continues to be trusted due to its reliability and widespread use. There are currently more than 500,000 UHF satellite communications radios in operation globally.
Tony Karkainen, Director of Narrowband Solutions at Viasat Government, said: “This demand will keep growing, certainly for the next 20 or 30 years. UHF is still very viable. I would even say that we have never had more requirements for UHF, because our off-the-shelf, integrated UHF waveform is flexible to the needs of customers – from simple single station/single channel products to multiple ground stations in multiple locations with multiple antennas and many, many channels.”
The NCS units were assembled by Viasat staff in Carlsbad, California using antennas provided by Blacktree Technology. Telefónica S.A. acted as the overall Program Prime under the Spanish MoD, while AICOX SOLUCIONES served as Viasat’s prime contractor and local representative in Spain.
Matthew Kaletta, Systems Design Engineer at Viasat and a lead team member on this project, described the process: “After the FAT [Factory Acceptance Test], we disassembled and packaged the system for shipment to Spain. We went out there to install the system into their ground station. We were there for four weeks, building it out and testing it. Then, we successfully completed an onsite system acceptance test.”
Following similar steps at a second site, both locations underwent a full-system acceptance test after being combined.
The new NCS installations are equipped with Viasat’s Integrated Waveform Channel Controller (IWCC), which increases efficiency by allowing up to 10-14 users per UHF channel compared to previous technologies that supported fewer users per channel.
These solutions enable secure network management and data control for Spain’s armed forces via SPAINSAT-NG satellites. The NCS systems can be customized according to customer requirements.
Karkainen added: “We do not believe in ‘one size fits all’ or otherwise cookie-cutter responses to our customers’ problems. Instead, we meet with them to assess their requirements and priorities, and then we give them what they need.”
Viasat offers turn-key IW-capable NCS solutions that can be tailored for NATO allies seeking sovereign control over voice and data communications.
