OREANDA-NEWS.  The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) has awarded Thales a contract to supply a further 20 ground terminals as part of the Syracuse III* satellite programme. Installed on VAB light armoured vehicles, these satcom terminals will operate as fully-functional network nodes for France's satellite communications on-the-move capability. The 20 terminals will be delivered from early 2016 to mid-2017.

Key points

  • Thales to deliver 20 new ground terminals for the Syracuse III programme
  • The contract is for VENUS Satcom On-The-Move terminals
  • They use innovative active antenna technology with electronic scanning for better coverage and availability

These VENUS** terminals equipped with satcom on-the-move (Satcom OTM) systems from Thales enable commanders to stay in touch while on the move in the theatre. The command vehicles communicate via the Syracuse system, which connects them directly to other deployed assets. With Satcom OTM technology, vehicles fitted with satellite antennas can establish and maintain a satellite link whether they are moving or stationary.

The innovative Satcom OTM solution from Thales complements other radiocommunication systems and has standard interfaces to connect other tactical communication equipment for higher data rates and overall availability. By providing a permanent command communication capability in the theatre of operations, the solution meets the requirements of ground force units on the move in terms of information exchange and force protection.

This latest contract award is an endorsement of newly developed active antenna technology with electronic scanning, which offers better coverage and availability than conventional parabolic antenna solutions.

The contract for the first 10 stations was awarded by the DGA in 2009 as part of an urgent operational requirement for Afghanistan.

The 10 VENUS terminals delivered in 2010 have been deployed in Afghanistan and Mali, where they provided front-line vehicles with a permanent tactical communication capability in environments where other communication systems were unable to operate due to range limitations or terrain features such as, deep valleys and high mountains. Users have appreciated the performance and dependability of the Thales solution and its ability to operate in all types of terrain.