Arrowhead Global Solutions, the government services division of CapRock Communications, announced that it is launching the industry’s first managed network services based on commercial X-band satellites. The announcement is part of a strategic initiative to provide the next generation of advanced satellite communications services for the military and intelligence community. Arrowhead is making significant investments in X-band teleport infrastructure and satellite capacity, including signing a multi-year, multi-transponder agreement with XTAR LLC, headquartered in Rockville, MD.
Defense and government missions increasingly require greater amounts of satellite bandwidth to support in-theater communications for intelligence gathering and tactical deployments. Satisfying the growing appetite for bandwidth has recently proven difficult due to the shrinking supply of Ku- and C-band capacity across the commercial satellite industry. Arrowhead’s managed services are based on a new generation of commercial X-band satellites, owned and operated by XTAR. The new Arrowhead X-band services not only add much needed capacity for defense and intelligence communications, but also offer the government specific frequency at much more affordable commercial prices.
The new X-band managed network services will offer more than just basic satellite bandwidth. Arrowhead’s complete connectivity solutions will include a variety of remote site equipment packages in fixed and rapid deployment configurations, field services, teleport services and terrestrial interconnects to public, private and government network gateways. The service will provide coverage over key regions including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Southwest Asia.
To develop the new X-band service, Arrowhead has entered into a strategic agreement with XTAR for multiple transponders on its XTAR-EUR and XTAR-LANT satellites. Both satellites provide the benefit of being fully compatible with all Department of Defense (DoD) and NATO X-band SATCOM equipment, including current and legacy platforms.
“With our new commercial X-band services, customers will for the first time be able to benefit from the higher power, faster data rates, and greater expansion opportunities afforded by commercial X-band satellites -- all at prices comparable to commercial Ku- and C-band capacity.” said Arrowhead President Tom Eaton. “Military and counter terrorism requirements for satellite bandwidth are continuing to grow at a rapid pace,” Eaton continued. “Arrowhead has partnered with XTAR to take the lead in offering next generation government satellite communications by making significant investments in commercial X-band capacity and infrastructure. We are putting the network assets in place now, so we can be ready to support the missions of our military and intelligence clients as soon as they are needed.”
The first master earth station is currently in development at a teleport in Europe and will be online and available for service early in the first quarter of 2009. Arrowhead’s new end-to-end commercial X-band satellite services will be made available through multiple contract vehicles including the company’s GSA Schedule (GS 35F-5497H) and through the DISN Satellite Transmission Services-Global (DSTS-G) contract, for which Arrowhead has been a prime contractor since 2001.
“Given the tight market for C- and Ku-band, X-band is the logical choice for bandwidth-hungry military users,” said XTAR Chief Operating Officer, Denis Curtin. “We are pleased to support Arrowhead with the roll out and implementation of its new managed services and believe our two well-positioned payloads and their capabilities will be an essential component for delivering effective and reliable communications services to U.S. and Allied warfighters in these critical geographic regions.”
