by Pfc. Christopher P. Swartz
CAMP DOHA, Kuwait, (Army News Service, April 15, 1998) -- The 269th Signal Company of Fort Huachuca, Ariz., is fielding a newly developed satellite system, giving the Army a more efficient communications network here.
The system is an AN/TSC-143 Triband, which comprises voice and Internet communications. It was first fielded in 1993, and is one of six prototypes of a currently planned system for the Army, said 2nd Lt. Robert Falcon, platoon leader.
At its maximum capability, the triband can service 300 customers with a network of phone lines, Falcon said.
The job that once required two 5-ton and four 2 1/2-ton vehicles, only uses three HMMWVs with the triband system. It provides a lot of power in a small amount of space, said Capt. Jay K. Chapman, company commander.
"It is capable of maintaining three different types of satellites, an X-band, which the military uses, a commercial band, which is an older civilian satellite system, and KU-band, which is the new civilian satellite system," Falcon said.
Until now, military communication systems only used military satellites to transmit information, Chapman explained. The triband can use a civilian satellite to free up space on military satellites, he said.
"This system is designed to be used around the world," Falcon said. "It can be used with any other satellite system and switch, as well as, any other triband."
The system combines a switch and a satellite, which requires a team of one switch operator and one satellite system operator to maintain the equipment, he added.
Teams working with the triband have made improvements to the equipment since the system was first fielded.
"Originally the system would over-heat easily, so we added an air conditioning unit," Abbott said. "This forced us to use a larger generator to power all of the equipment."
Teams also found two support vehicles are necessary to carry repair equipment, soldiers' equipment and the generator, he added.
Considering this is the first time the system has been deployed out of the U.S. it has performed admirably, Falcon said.
(Editor's note: Swartz is with the 40th Public Affairs Detachment.)