TUSAŞ General Manager Temel Kotil announced that Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and its subsidiary CTech have developed a new system that enables communication between rotary-wing platforms and ground control units via satellite during flight.
TAI and CTech, along with other subsidiaries, are developing a new system that will allow rotary-wing platforms to communicate with ground control units via satellite during flight. The system, consisting of ground and air terminals, will be able to transmit real-time audio, video, and data packages to the user.
The system, which can be integrated with both current and next-generation rotary-wing platforms using a 12-inch antenna, will provide two-way data transmission on user-defined frequencies. The project, initiated in October 2022, aims to deliver the first system within four years.
The satellite communication system developed for rotary-wing platforms will not be affected by the disruptive motion of the rotor blades in all three axes.
Designed to provide uninterrupted satellite tracking, the system will also feature a “push-to-talk” capability, enabling communication via satellite in addition to the intercom system already present in helicopters.
As part of the project, automatic satellite tracking will be performed based on helicopter movements, aiming to provide wideband satellite communication capability for both existing and future rotary-wing platforms.
Turkish Aerospace Industries and CTech, with their indigenous capabilities, aim to develop the technology possessed by only a few countries and companies. The system will enable the transfer of video and data traffic in helicopters related to intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, border security, and disaster response to command or coordination centers. Operating in the Ku-Band frequency range, the system will support activities such as search and rescue operations, VIP transportation, ambulance and emergency assistance, seamless communication during natural disasters, and transfer of video and data from anywhere in the world.
“We continue to bring indigenous and national systems to Turkey’s aviation ecosystem,” said Temel Kotil, the General Manager of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ), emphasizing their commitment to developing local and national systems.
Kotil stated, “With the system developed in collaboration with our subsidiary CTech, we will integrate a satellite communication system into our rotary-wing platforms, which will directly transmit images from camera systems to the user’s coordination center in real-time. Despite the disruptive effects caused by rotor motion, we aim for our developed system to maintain uninterrupted communication between air and ground terminals in accordance with wave movements.”
(AA)
