Pacific Endeavor 2012 facilitates Satellite Communications Training

Courtesy Photo | Tonga Defence Service Lt. Esau Tupou (left) and Japanese Maj. Hiroshi Aso discuss frequency management during a Pacific Endeavor tabletop exercise which consisted of placing more than 20 Asia-Pacific military representatives and several non-government agencies in a scenario where a fictional island, Republic of Pacifica, has been struck by multiple catastrophic disasters.  

CHANGI NAVAL BASE, SINGAPORE

08.15.2012

Courtesy Story

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command         

CHANGI NAVAL BASE, Singapore – Pacific Endeavor 2012, along with industry partners participating in the workshop, facilitated satellite communications (SATCOM) training on Changi Naval Base, Singapore, this year in hopes of providing familiarization to nations joining the Multinational Communications Interoperability Workshop (MCIP) who may require or provide aid in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

“Training is a very important portion for capacity building,” said Riak Lamak of Global VSAT Forum, a not-for-profit organization based out of London. “[Militaries] need quick deployments as satellite communications is the base for all connectivity.”

“Although you’d have fiber and other means of communications, the most important thing [is that people are trained] so that the network works properly, the signals don’t drop and communications happens,” he said.

Often times, humanitarian aid/disaster relief (HADR) operations rely on satellite communications due to damaged communications infrastructure in the wake of a catastrophic event.

“We use satellite communications across HADR efforts,” said U.S. Army Maj. Linda Bozada, U.S. PACOM chief of theatre satellite communications and facilitator. “That’s our transport because in most cases, fiber optic cables are going to be out, undersea cables are going to be out, and we rely on SATCOM [to communicate].

“SATCOM can reach anywhere over air, sea or land and it’s usually the main component for transport for any communications,” she said.

As MCIP participants certify with SATCOM equipment, Global VSAT Forum facilitated online and hands-on training to nations who may not be as familiar as others.

“We [provided] the equipment. They assemble the equipment, and then aligned it to the satellite [to get a proper installation done],” said Lamak. “GVF came forward and has provided this training for 11 years now.”

Satellite communications is also used in remote areas where communications can be difficult.

• Date Taken: 08.15.2012
• Date Posted: 08.16.2012 00:00
• Story ID: 93296
• Location: CHANGI NAVAL BASE, SG