US Army adopts Phoenix E for next-generation automated satellite communications

Housed in transit cases and operated from a shelter on standard military vehicles, this system offers deployment flexibility by repackaging into transit cases alone or reducing the number of vehicles needed for transportation and operation.

Global Combat Support

The older Phoenix D systems were returned, marking the beginning of Phoenix E inventories that will now be accounted for on the Global Combat Support System-Army battalion property list.

The Phoenix E is designed to seamlessly interface with the other equipment fielded by ESB-E formations across the Army. 

This includes the Scalable Network Node baseband equipment, which provides connectivity to other satellite systems in the Integrated Tactical Network.

“The Phoenix E terminal is a transportable, quad-band, multi-tactical satellite communications terminal operating in the SHF band,” said Mark Owens, supply and service branch chief, 2d Theater Signal Brigade. 

“It incorporates internet protocol capable frequency division multiple access and time division multiple access net-centric waveform modems to increase network diversity, robustness, and capacity along with the addition of a dual head upgrade to access two satellites and/or bands simultaneously.”

Internet protocol baseband

The primary difference between the Phoenix D and E models is the type of equipment they can interface. 

The Phoenix E can seamlessly interface with internet protocol baseband equipment that the Army is transitioning to, which the Phoenix D cannot. 

It is a simpler design with reduced equipment but with the same high throughput capabilities. It also eliminates several obsolescence issues with the Phoenix D, which has been in the field for nearly 20 years.

This transition is not just a change in equipment but a testament to the battalion’s vital role in the fielding process. 

The battalion’s efforts were acknowledged and recognized, as it received 12 M1165A1 vehicles and six 5K generators. 

The transition indicates the scale and impact of the operation and is a testament to the battalion’s mission’s importance.

The 44th ESB-E is the United States Army Network Enterprise Technology Command’s second overseas unit to receive Phoenix E and the first to be fully automated.

The battalion is conducting two weeks of new equipment training. The battalion provided the Project Managers Tactical Network SATCOM team with sufficient workspace to conduct fielding and assist Soldiers with system setup and tool inventory layouts.

Mission command system

“Program Manager Tactical Network has a specific fielding plan,” said William Campbell, SATCOM engineer, PM Tactical Network. 

“The process takes up to 60 days, not including system travel time to the unit location. Initially, the logistics team will in-process the Phoenix E systems at the unit being fielded after the systems arrive. A technical team follows to configure, validate and test each system to ensure it meets the system baseline and operates correctly. The logistics team then inventories and hands off the equipment to the fielded unit. A training team then conducts the 80-hour New Equipment Training, and the 12-hour Planners and Managers Training.”

The 44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced, located in Baumholder, Germany, builds, operates, and defends mission command systems and networks to support unified land operations.

The 2d Theater Signal Brigade delivers integrated and interoperable theater communications and cyber capabilities to enable decision dominance across all levels and phases of the war in support of combat forces and mission partners in Europe and Africa.