Indian Army acquiring suitcase-based Satcoms for troops in remote areas: Report
On Monday, the Army finalized a deal for more than 160 «cutting-edge mobile secure satellite terminals (MSSTs)» with the defense Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), Bharat Electronics (BEL). This contract is the latest in a series of similar agreements signed in recent months, the report claimed quoting sources in the Defence Ministry.
Previous contracts encompassed over 150 man-portable Ku-band satellite terminals, approximately 400 S-band hand-held terminals, over 300 S-band manpack terminals, and more than 80 light vehicle-based Ku-band satellite communication terminals, among others.
These secure portable terminals, developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and BEL, are anticipated to be a significant force multiplier.
They will provide resilient military communication support to troops deployed in remote and inaccessible areas.
Furthermore, these communication tools will enhance the communication capabilities of Para-Special Forces during rapid small-team surgical operations. The move reflects the Indian Army's commitment to leverage the capabilities of Indian SATCOM technologies and advancements in the space domain, particularly for units deployed in challenging terrains.
The existing Satcom sets in the Army had become outdated over the years, impacting the ability of troops on long-range patrols along the 3,488-km LAC to effectively communicate with their bases and higher military authorities.
As a result, these forward-deployed troops had to rely on terrestrial radio and satellite phones, which were not secure and often had poor connectivity.
