Stand by for broadband

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Aviation Boatswain's Mate Airman Michael Vertrees checks his e-mail in the chaplain's lounge aboard the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. A new satellite antenna now being tested is giving crews Web access 10 times faster than their old communications gear. The Navy says every ship will be updated by 2012.


Stand by for broadband
By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Sep 22, 2008 7:11:58 EDT

The days of sluggish or nonexistent Internet connections aboard surface ships are about to go away, the Navy said, thanks to a new satellite connection that promises to give every surface sailor the ability to surf the Web at broadband speed.

A new satellite antenna, now being tested aboard the Ingleside, Texas-based mine countermeasure ship Champion, gives the crew Web access 10 times faster than its old communications gear, according to officials with Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command. Over the next six months, 48 other small ships — mine ships, coastal patrols and frigates — will get the same equipment, starting this month. Every ship will be upgraded by 2012.

“It’s a really great upgrade,” said Lt. Cmdr. John Callaway, captain of the Champion’s D-crew. His sailors can check e-mail and surf the Web at sea with about the same speed as a home broadband connection, he said, and for the first time, he can access the classified Defense Department intelligence network, known as SIPRnet.

Two Champion sailors said the Web speeds have made a huge difference in their quality of life on deployment.

Operations Specialist Seaman Apprentice Edward Higuera said he could view Web videos in Navy Knowledge Online courses much easier with the new connectivity, and that it was much simpler to do research for the college classes he’s taking at sea. He also said it was much easier to keep in touch with his family and generally keep tabs on news in the U.S., especially the presidential election.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/09/navy_bandwidth_092208w/%2e