This milestone, achieved using the AEHF Transmission Security Module, demonstrates backward compatibility of the Defense Department's (DoD) AEHF satellite system terminals with legacy Milstar Army, Navy and Air Force terminals using the critical new security technology.

This technological breakthrough of error-free-network data exchange occurred during tests using an AEHF SMarT-T at Raytheon's state-of-the-art Satellite Communications Integration and Test Site facility in Marlborough, Mass., and an Army legacy SMarT-T terminal located at Ft. Monmouth, N.J.

This is an important first step in putting the full power of AEHF communication capability in the hands of Army, Navy, Air Force and AEHF International Partner Nation warfighters. With AEHF, warfighters will have dramatically expanded data throughput for time-critical missions and will be provided with assured interoperability between AEHF International Partner nations conducting operations with the U.S.

The SMarT-T AEHF satellite acquisition breakthrough follows the successful completion of the first Software Communications Architecture (SCA) waveforms ever developed for AEHF systems on Raytheon's Navy Multi-band Terminal (NMT). Raytheon's NMT program has previously delivered the LDR (Low Data Rate), MDR (Medium Data Rate) and XDR (Extended Data Rate) waveforms in operating tests. Raytheon's NMT solution will provide the DoD with proven advanced technology that can now be ported to other defense systems to avoid significant acquisition costs.

"The successful completion of the SCA-enabled AEHF waveforms software allows Army, Navy and Air Force acquisition professionals to avoid significant costs and, instead, apply their limited resources to crucial new technologies to meet the needs of the warfighter," said Jerry Powlen, vice president, Integrated Communications Systems.

The SMarT-T is a self-contained, HMMWV-mounted, Milstar-compatible ground satellite communications terminal. The AEHF capability is a technology upgrade that will be inserted in the SMarT-T, which is currently deployed throughout the U.S. Army operating forces.

NMT is a three-year contract to design and develop prototype subMarine and shipboard terminals for the transformational SATCOM component of the U.S. Navy's FORCEnet concept. NMT provides the bandwidth efficiency that allows naval information networks to extend seamlessly from individual ships and subMarines to other networks around the globe. NMT replaces three separate systems currently deployed in the U.S. Navy, extending the subMarine and shipboard capability from Extremely High Frequency (EHF) waveforms to Advanced EHF (AEHF) and providing Global Broadcast System, X-band and Ka-band services.

The DoD has encouraged the use of the SCA standards to promote software portability and enable software reuse in order to reduce the cost of acquiring complex and software intensive weapon systems.

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