Inmarsat has selected Northrop Grumman Information Systems of McLean, Va., to provide a signal interference and monitoring system for its Ka-band Global Xpress satellite system, London-based Inmarsat announced in a Feb. 10 press release.
Inmarsat is expected to offer full Global Xpress mobile broadband services worldwide, except for the polar regions, by late 2014. The first of a planned four Global Xpress satellites was successfully launched in December.
Northrop Grumman’s Spectrum Interference and Monitoring System (SIMS) will provide spectrum situational awareness, rapid interference detection and problem resolution, according to the release.
Northrop Grumman developed a similar system for the U.S. Air Force’s Wideband Global Satcom system, which operates in Ka- and X-band frequencies.
“We are excited to have Northrop Grumman as a mission partner in providing spectrum monitoring capabilities to our Government customers,” Peter Hadinger, president of Inmarsat’s U.S. government business unit, said in the release. “We chose an advanced spectrum and interference monitoring system that is based on a common platform to the one used by the U.S. [Department of Defense] to facilitate interoperability and support our commitment to assured access.”