(U) Lightweight Multi-band Satellite Terminal (LMST)

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)

Overview: (U)
(U)  The Air Force Theater Deployable Communications (TDC) program provides a two-way reach-back communications capability for TDC over military and commercial satellites using the Lightweight Multiband Satellite Terminal (LMST).  The LMST is a Commercial Off-The-Shelf tri-band terminal which uses X (military), C, and Ku (commercial) bands for communication links.  The LMST is capable of dual-band and dual-satellite operations by using its organic antenna and allocating one string of equipment to a second external antenna.  The terminal is configured for either trailer or transit case operations.

Description: (U)
(U) The Lightweight Multi-band Satellite Terminal is a transportable, tri-band (X, C, Ku) communications terminal designed for use with the Theater Deployable Communications (TDC) package.  LMST operates worldwide with any spacecraft of the DSCS II, III, NATO III, IV, INTELSAT, EUTELSAT, PANAMSAT, and DOMSAT payloads.  The LMST is a completely redundant system in a single carrier mode but has the capability of operation simultaneously over two different satellites.  The Air Force is currently procuring seven (7) trailer terminals and three (3) transit case terminals through US Army Communications - Electronics Command (CECOM) in Ft Monmouth.  The Trailer configuration (AN/TSC-152) uses an organic pop-up 8-foot offset-fed antenna to minimize terminal set-up time. Redundant 10 kW diesel generators, mounted on the trailer, provide for self-sufficient operations.  The Transit Case configuration (AN/USC-59) has the same capabilities as the trailer configuration except it utilizes an 8-foot offset tripod antenna and requires less than 65 percent of the standard 463L pallet in transport mode.  The baseband equipment can be remote operated up to 150 feet from the antenna system.

User Impact: (U)
(U)  The LMST is to provide the warfighter initial deployable communications for reachback to centralized C2 facilities including communications between deployed systems and CONUS and/or established overseas theaters.

Programmatics: (U)
(U) Operational.
	(U) IOC: 07/1997 (4QFY1997).

Related Initiatives: (U)
(U) Adv Wideband Satellite (AWS), Army Terminal Upg & Rpl, DSCS II, DSCS III, DSCS Service Life Enhance Prog

Related Requirements: (U)
(U) None.

Related Categories: (U)
(U) SHF Ground Segment Terminals

Road Map Placements: (U)
(U) MILSATCOM.

Lead Office: (U)
(U) Air Force.

Date of Information: (U)
01 October 1997

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)