ABOUT
The British Army contributed to the United Nations’ stabilization mission in Gao, Mali by providing long-range reconnaissance support. Advanced satellite technology powered by the Intelsat network was used in this effort by the 25-member British Army medical team to provide extended medical cover for ~300 soldiers while on the ground in the desert, rural African state.
CHALLENGE
The medical group needed technology that would allow them to treat casualties in the field faster. They needed a lightweight, easy-to-set-up high-speed internet solution that was secure and reliable. Although demand for telemedicine use cases continue to climb, providing remote medical support can be challenging, especially in extreme or off-the-grid environments. Furthermore, bulky equipment increases set up time for temporary medical facilities which can be consequential in life-saving scenarios.
HOW WE HELPED
Taking telemedicine to new heights, Intelsat joined forces with partners GRC and ST Engineering iDirect to deliver FlexMove, a ubiquitous, on-the-go connectivity solution uniquely designed to power government and humanitarian operations. This resilient, high-throughput satellite (HTS) solution came fully integrated with the Satcube Ku, a compact, lightweight terminal enabling users in the field to quickly gain internet access and seamlessly power life-saving applications and video feeds.
As a result, army medics virtually shared skills during live surgical procedures using HD cameras and the wireless ButterFly probe, a handheld ultrasound machine that connects to a smartphone or tablet to display imagery. This negated the tedious process of moving patients to dedicated wards equipped with heavy, wired equipment.
BENEFIT
The medical team can now deliver rapid assessment and first aid to the British Army wherever they go enabling seamless reach back to medical specialists in the UK for real-time analysis and guidance, helping deployed teams receive the best care possible. Coupled with GRCs SCYTALE for secure connectivity, this robust solution is a gamechanger. The team can now move around hassle free due to the portability of the FlexMove solution which is ideal for bandwidth-heavy, mission critical applications.
The Satcube terminal enables rapid deployment, and data speeds up to 10 x 3 Mbps. The terminal is supported by the ST Engineering iDirect IQ modem, which is based on a future-proof, software-defined architecture for maximum flexibility.
“Some of the technology has proved an absolute life saver, especially the connectivity back to the UK.”
– Sgt. Dan Lewis (RAMC)
Do you have mission critical connectivity needs? Contact us at https://www.intelsat.com/product-consultation.
