Rebecca Cowen-Hirsh: DoD Should Partner With Industry to Address Perceived Satcom Terminal Challenge

Rebecca Cowen-Hirsh of Inmarsat Government has said industry could help the Department of Defense address its perceived challenges with satellite communication terminals through flexible business models and commercial technology innovation.

Cowen-Hirsch, senior vice president for government strategy and policy at Inmarsat Government, wrote in a MilsatMagazine article that terminals could be part of a satcom-as-a-service model, which could provide DoD with global connectivity and an end-to-end communication system that is managed and owned by commercial operators.

“That brings the desired flexibility, security and cost-efficiency that allow government users to augment their MILSATCOM systems when needed, without any upfront commitment. With this, there would be a clear path toward ‘Terminal as a Service,’ which ensures continual technology refresh and modernization at an affordable rate,” she added.

Cowen-Hirsch noted that DoD should partner with industry to advance the development of an integrated enterprise satcom architecture.

She also cited a recent pilot project of the U.S. Air Force and how it demonstrates the potential role of industry innovation in helping the military address its satcom terminal-related challenges.