The STaR extends line-of-sight communications in difficult terrain and urban environments. Integration with UAS provides even greater range and mission flexibility. Multiple preprogrammable channels provide flexibility during missions if any particular channels are deemed unusable due to interference, frequency conflicts, etc. Additionally, an internal meter (SWR) enables the user to tune antennas before a mission or in the field to maximize performance at the user-programmed channels. The STaR is easy to program through a USB port with any laptop running WindowsXP. Furthermore, the repeater does not require internal batteries or external power during programming, yet retains all parameters. Prior to deployment, self-test and battery status features insure the unit is ready for field use. The STaR operates as a "bent pipe" repeater over seven sub-bands within the 30–512 MHz frequency range for any constant envelope waveform; the unit is fully compatible with numerous other radios including the AN/PSC-5 Enhanced Manpack UHF Terminal (EMUT) and AN/PRC-117(F) Falcon II Multiband Radio. Nova’s 2007 plans include a significantly size-reduced STaR variant.

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