EM Solutions has won a tender with Tokyo-based partner Jepico Corporation to provide its Ka-Band Satellite on the Move (SOTM) platform to the Japanese Government's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT). NICT is Japan's national research institute for information and communications

EM Solutions and Jepico Corporation beat two large Japanese advanced high-tech companies to deliver the SOTM system to work on the Japanese government's W.I.N.D.S. Ka-band research satellite (see below).

CEO Dr Rowan Gilmore said EM Solutions jointly developed the SOTM technology originally with the Australian Defence Force.

"The ADF was not happy with the technology they had at the time and turned to the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) to come up with a solution. Through the DSTO, EM Solutions got involved," Dr Gilmore said.

"What we come up with was a mounted battle command on-the-move communications system, which we put on the back of an Australian Bushmaster PMV and put through its paces."

"The satellite communications terminal is designed to be tough, even in the extreme of battle, with its objective being maintaining vital communications and ensuring our soldiers are supplied with high-quality, broadband information that can help them make decisive decisions even in the worst conditions."

Dr Gilmore said the technology had more than just military application, which was what attracted Japanese interest.

"With our technology, you can mount it on a vehicle and drive to the location of a natural disaster and set up a mobile communication facility on site. That way you can keep vital communications going, even when everything else breaks down," he said.

"The Japanese Government understands that recent earthquakes and tsunami will not be the last that Japan sees and the proposed WINDS OTM system will provide emergency high-speed broadband communications if the terrestrial network is not available."

WINDS OTM project sponsor Dr Naoto Kadowaki, Director General of the NICT Wireless Network Research Institute and four of his NICT staff, along with Dr Susumu Kitazume, Head of the Jepico Corporation's Space System Engineering team and his colleagues recently visited EM Solutions in Brisbane for a Preliminary Design Review workshop and demonstrations of the SOTM system.

A welcome reception was held for the eight visitors at Telstra's Brisbane head office with the kind support of Queensland Telstra Managers Ian Hall and Jon O'Brien.

Darren Crombie, Deputy Director General - Innovation, Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts (DSITIA) spoke on behalf of Minister Ros Bates in welcoming the Japanese guests to Queensland and congratulating EM Solutions and Jepico Corporation on winning the important advanced engineering export business.