Patent ID: 7023996

Claim:
A method of transmitting data between a ground segment and a plurality of airborne segments comprising: a forward link including: obtaining a first data stream at said ground segment, the first data stream including a data header having routing information and a data payload having other information; packet encrypting said first data stream to maintain said data header while encrypting said data payload; sending said packet encrypted first data stream to said plurality of airborne segments; and if said routing information in said data header matches an address of at least one of said plurality of airborne segments, decrypting said packet encrypted first data stream at least at said one of said plurality of said plurality of airborne segments; and a return link including: obtaining a second data stream at least at one of said plurality of airborne segments; bulk encrypting said second data stream to encrypt all of said second data stream; sending said bulk encrypted second data stream to said ground segment; and decrypting said bulk encrypted second data stream at said ground segment.