Navy Partners with SpaceX for Broadband Internet Access

­Communication for Navy vessels has always been critical, from flag signals to the famous “talk-between-ships” (TBS) system and modern radio. But until relatively recently, individual sailors were restricted to snail mail and the occasional land line call. And for the internet, they’ve had to rely on a network of aging satellites providing what could be generously described as wonky access. Elon Musk wants to change that.

Under the Navy’s Sailor Edge Afloat and Ashore (SEA2) initiative – which aims for high-speed, reliable, and secure internet connections across all U.S. Navy ships – the Navy has been experimenting with satellites from SpaceX’s Starlink network, potentially allowing for broadband internet across the Navy’s entire fleet.

Along with other space-based broadband internet providers, the so-called SEA2 system, or the Satellite Terminal (transportable) Non-Geostationary (STtNG), would – according to Wired – Navy ships could access to low-orbit satellites (with a median connection speed of 30 to 50 megabits per second), and with further Starlink satellites, speeds could even reach 1 gigabit per second.

“Having the ability to reach out to friends or family allows our Sailors the opportunity to decompress for a few minutes, and that in turn allows them to be able to operate more efficiently,” said Richard Haninger, the USS Gerald R. Ford’s deployed resiliency educator. “It’s not just about reaching back to friends and family, the ability to pay a bill online, take an online class, or even just check the score of the game, all of this allows our Sailors the chance to access something that lowers their stress level, then return to work after a quick break more focused and able to complete the mission.”