Implementing SATCOM-on-the-move in the land environment - Relating technical solutions to operational reality

Abstract

The achievement of a network-centric battlefield has largely driven the development of satellite communications (SATCOM) on-the-move (SOTM), as a technology solution to facilitate the exchange of rich sources of information amongst geographically-dispersed force elements. While the technical enablers for this concept are rapidly maturing, the operational challenges are quickly coming to the attention of military capability and network operation managers alike, forcing critical analysis of the operational requirements for the technology, and the ways that SATCOM can be applied to maximize resource utilization, support command and control (C2), and preserve the integrity of the joint operational network. This paper provides an analysis of ways a resource-constrained military organization can apply SOTM in support of network-centric operations, while recognizing the inherent constraints of the technology and proposing alternative technical concepts for consideration to support the Commander's C2 of the battle space.