OHB DC builds new UHF control station for German Armed Forces satellite communications
Bremen/Kastellaun, February 7, 2024 - OHB Digital Connect GmbH, a subsidiary of the space and technology group OHB SE, has been commissioned by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) in Koblenz to regenerate the UHF-DAMA control station in Kastellaun. The abbreviation UHF stands for "Ultra High Frequency" and refers to electromagnetic waves in the frequency band from around 300 megahertz to 3 gigahertz. DAMA stands for "Demand Assigned Multiple Access". This is a technology for temporarily assigning communication channels to different users according to demand. The Kastellaun UHF control station is part of SATCOMBw, the Bundeswehr's satellite-based communications system and a central resource for UHF troop communications.
As part of the contract awarded to OHB, the existing control station will be replaced by a new system that will be considerably more powerful. "Following the realisation of the UHF control station in Gerolstein, we are delighted to now have the opportunity to contribute our SatCom expertise once again to the construction in Kastellaun," says Wilfried Wetjen, Head of the Communications Systems Department at OHB DC. The UHF-DAMA control station provides the availability of communication via secure, satellite-based radio systems. This contract comprises the turnkey installation of the ground station for satellite communications and the connection of the control station to the German Armed Forces' networks.