Chapter Name: The Hague (The Netherlands) By: Air Cdre RNLAF retd. Ir. Gerrit Schoonderbeek
Summary of Meeting:
Afcea Chapter The Hague (in co-operation with NIDV/C²TP) organized on Wednesday, 11th of June 2008 a very successful meeting on Satellite Communications (SatCom) capabilities at Airbase Soesterberg. The meeting was opened by both Mr. Rob van Dort, Chairman of the C²TP and by Air Commodore RNLAF (ret) Gerrit Schoonderbeek, Vice President of Afcea Chapter The Hague.
Colonel RNLAF Loek Smits, the Commander of the Netherlands Joint CIS Group and host for the day, welcomed the audience and explained the program for the presentations. Inside the building industry had setup a number of displays with some of their SatCom related equipment and outside the building demonstrations were prepared of SatCom capabilities by the Royal Netherlands Army (RNLA) and Marine Corps. In the afternoon members were allowed to visit the Network Operations Center of the Netherlands MoD, which is also located at Airbase Soesterberg.
The first speaker, LtCol RNLAF Klaas Gomes, Projectmanager of MilSatCom, informed the audience about current status and future plans for the Netherlands MilSatCom project. In particular he highlighted the different frequencies (SHF and AEHF) and frequency bands (C-, Ku- and X-band) to be used and the requirements for the space segment, the static ground segment and for the mobile ground segment. He also touched upon issues like Mission Planning Elements, Number of terminals foreseen, Transmission Delays and (maximum) throughput requirements.
The next speaker, LtCol RNLA Edwin Saiboo, Head of the Knowledge Center for Command and Control of the Netherlands Army discussed amongst others: Information Distribution, Satellite Trajectories, Pro’s and Con’s of Satellite Communications and the SatCom Equipment and Systems in use by the Netherlands Armed Forces. During this presentation, he reflected on experiences gained as G6 during his stay in Afghanistan/Uruzgan in 2007/2008. In answer to a question from the audience he pointed out that little difference was noted between the functionality and operation of Commercial of the Shelf Equipment and Equipment built to Military Specifications.
The last speaker, Mr. Huub Simons, Chief SatCom at the NATO C³ Agency (NC³A), presented the current NATO Space Segment Capabilities, the future Ground Segment Architecture and some standardization issues. He continued with a number of current NC³A Research Examples and concluded with a discussion on the SatCom Testbeds at the NC³A and on the Multi-Tiered Network Centric View in a federation of SatCom Networks (EoIP, Router based systems: SatCom terminals become IP Nodes).
After the traditional lunch members could visit the displays of SatCom equipment inside and outside of the meeting area and the Network Control Center. The meeting was concluded with a presentation of some Certificates and gifts to the main speakers of the day, followed by a social hour.
Definition of used acronyms:
NIDV = Nederlandse Industrie voor Defensie en
Veiligheid (Netherlands Defence Manufacturers Association)
C²TP = Command & Control Technology Platform
SatCom = Satellite Communications
RNLAF = Royal Netherlands Air Force
Ret = retired
CIS = Communications and Information Systems
RNLA = Royal Netherlands Army
MoD = Ministry of Defense
MilSatCom = Military SatCom for the Netherlands Armed Forces
G6 = Staff function related to CIS matters
NC³A = NATO C³ Agency
NATO = North Atlantic Treaty Organization
C³ = Consultation, Command and Control
EoIP = Everything over IP
IP = Internet Protocol
Guest Speaker(s):
|
Speaker’s Name |
Position |
Rank |
Branch of Service |
Organization |
|
Klaas Gomes |
Projectmanager MilSatCom |
Lt-Col |
Royal Netherlands AirForce |
Defense Material Organization |
|
Edwin Saiboo |
Head Knowledgecenter C² |
Lt-Col |
Royal Netherlands Army |
Landoperations Support |
|
Huub Simons |
Chief SatCom |
Civilian |
|
NATO C³ Agency |
Photograph #1:
|
|
The interested audience listening to one of the Presentations |
Photograph #2:
|
|
A mobile, deployable SatCom terminal, in use by the Netherlands Armed Forces |
Photograph #3:
|
|
The Demonstration site of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps, with in the carriages and inside the tent different examples of SatCom equipment which is in use by the Netherlands Armed Forces |
Photograph #4:
|
|
Vice President of Afcea
Chapter The Hague, Air Commodore RNLAF (ret) |
|
Position |
Full Name |
Rank |
Branch of Service |
Position |
|
Left |
Klaas Gomes |
LtCol |
RNLAF |
Projectmanager MilSatCom |
|
Right |
Gerrit Schoonderbeek |
AirCdre (ret) |
RNLAF |
Vice President Chapter The Hague |
Photograph #5:
|
|
LtCol RNLA Edwin Saiboo, |
|
Position |
Full Name |
Rank |
Branch of Service |
Position |
|
Left |
Edwin Saiboo |
LtCol |
RNLA |
Head Knowledgecenter C² |
|
Right |
Gerrit Schoonderbeek |
AirCdre (ret) |
RNLAF |
Vice President Chapter The Hague |
Photograph #6:
|
|
Huub Simons, Chief SatCom
at NC³A, receives a Certificate-of Appreciation from |
|
Position |
Full Name |
Rank |
Branch of Service |
Position |
|
Left |
Huub Simons |
Civilian |
|
Chief SatCom NC³A |
|
Right |
Gerrit Schoonderbeek |
AirCdre (ret) |
RNLAF |
Vice President Chapter The Hague |