SlingShot^™
beyond line of sight communications for First Responders

SlingShot for Aid & Emergency

SlingShot is a lightweight unit that converts existing in-service radios to SATCOM, offering a straightforward and cost-effective way to achieve global, secure, BLOS (Beyond Line of Sight) communications for those using UHF and VHF radios.

Why You Need SlingShot

The Challenge

To cope with the growing need for disaster relief, humanitarian aid groups, military forces and emergency services require a highly coordinated strategy that relies heavily on reliable and secure communications systems.

With conditions rapidly changing , ensuring the first responders are able to reach the most important areas first, whilst maintaining their safety, is paramount.

In major emergencies, coordinating the different relief efforts can also be a challenge, particularly if organisations are using different communication systems.

The Requirement

Deploy rapidly, whilst maintaining vital communications for both voice and data. Terrestrial infrastructure is likely to be damaged and cannot be relied upon, so a BLOS (Beyond Line of Sight) system is essential.

Use a system that can utilise current radios, keeping costs down and minimising training requirements.

Create the capability to coordinate with multiple agencies and do so whilst on the move, to increase travelling speed.

The Solution

SlingShot, a small external adaptor for VHF Push-to-Talk radios, enables real-time voice and data communications, with the ability to connect to out-of-area, HQ, as well as to other agencies using SlingShot.

With omni-directional antenna for personnel travelling on foot, in vehicles on water or air, SlingShot can maintain comms where other systems fail.

Using Inmarsat’s world leading global constellation of geostationary satellites, SlingShot gives the unique capability to access single-hop real-time Beyond Line of Sight comms,with no need for terrestrial infrastructure, no matter where you need to be.

Applications

Slingshot is a unique and innovative solution that enables widely dispersed personnel to communicate effectively in high tempo operations.

Features

SlingShot is a small and lightweight unit that converts existing radios to secure, real-time, BLOS, COTM devices, in all situations and locations.

Benefits

SlingShot delivers all the benefits of SATCOM, but on-the-move and using standard UHF and VHF radios. With flexible airtime pricing and guaranteed bandwidth, it is more available, more reliable, and more functional than using Satphones.

Voice and Data BLOS and COTM
communicate securely over land, sea and air
Radio Agnostic and Transparent
converts UHF & VHF radios to L-Band Satcom
Flexible Airtime Leasing
only when and where you need it
Infrastructure independent
no infrastructure? no problem
Small size & weight with low power consumption
move quickly, minimise weight
Dedicated bandwidth
deploy securely with guaranteed bandwidth for high quality sound and data

Achieve beyond-line-of-sight communications without having to re-equip or re-train
Use in-service radios. Enables interoperability between agencies using differing comms.
Vastly reduce the cost of Satcom by using L-Band commercial satcom and only leasing the areas you require, for the time you need them
Because SlingShot uses Inmarsat’s I4 constellation of satellites, it doesn’t matter where in the world you deploy, or what distance you need to maintain voice and data comms; you will not have to rely on local infrastructure, or deploy and protect your own.
Move quickly and maximise the payload. No extra batteries, chargers or handsets to weigh you down and take-up valuable space.

BLOS

By converting in-service UHF and VHF radios into Satcom devices, SlingShot delivers BLOS (Beyond Line of Sight) voice and data communications.

Range is extended from tens to hundreds and thousands of miles, without further equipping or re-training.

COTM

SlingShot has Manpack, Vehicle, Maritime and Aviation configurations.

The omni-directional antennas mean that COTM (Communications on the Move) is truly effective with no loss of signal or quality.

No need to alter direction or pause to locate a beam.

Standard Radios

SlingShot is a simple concept, in that it provides BLOS and COTM capability to existing UHF and VHF radios, without any change to in-service equipment or security.

The radio operates in exactly the same way as it does in line of sight mode, providing a significant range extension.

Depending on the satellite option chosen this could be many thousands of miles within a single satellite footprint or globally if switched between satellites.

Real estate on mounted platforms is limited and dismounted personnel face a real challenge if technology reduces the amount of food , water and supplies that can be carried. The SlingShot footprint is minimal and the manpack system can take power from radio batteries, so the operator isn’t required to purchase/carry different battery types and support different charging systems.

A full manpack system weighs under 2kg with operational life of up to 24 hours between charges

Inmarsat L-TAC

Inmarsat’s L-TAC service can be leased for a fixed period (minimum duration one month), providing assured access throughout.

Slingshot, combined with Inmarsat’s L-TAC lease service, is fully flexible and designed to cost effectively meet security and reliability requirements.

Interoperability

So many operations, in which today’s first responders find themselves, include coordination with multiple agencies, some of which will have different radio systems.

Slingshot can bring these disparate systems together without additional re-equipping and without a heavy training tariff.

VHF and UHF radios of different manufacture can use Slingshot to convert to BLOS devices that can communicate with each other. Systems are available for Manpack, Vehicle and Maritime, meaning travelling teams can maintain contact. Aviation will be available soon.

SlingShot^™