On December 15, Viasat Inc., a leader in satellite communications (SATCOM), announced a significant evolution of its network for government customers by unifying Viasat Ka-band satellites, the Global Xpress satellite fleet, and select partner satellites into a fully integrated global Ka-band satellite communications network. Fully interoperable with MILSATCOM Ka-band networks, this evolved Ka-band network capability will provide seamless global, multi-orbit Ka-band connectivity for government and military users, offering increased performance, expanded coverage, and greater resiliency for missions across air, land, and sea.
Leveraging an integrated waveform, upgraded gateways and common ground architecture, Viasat’s expanded global Ka-band connectivity for government will enable customers to seamlessly roam between Ka-band satellite networks, including Viasat satellites, Global Xpress Ka-band satellites (part of Viasat’s global fleet following the acquisition of Inmarsat in 2023), and other commercial and government Ka-band satellites. Moving forward, government users operating across domains will be able to access this evolved Ka-band network through upgraded, single terminal solutions rather than needing multiple hardware solutions.
Viasat’s integrated Ka-band network will offer government users ubiquitous roaming and faster connectivity, with data rates up to 200 Mbps with a 45cm or equivalent antenna, and features electronically and mechanically steered beams that offer the flexibility to dynamically allocate bandwidth and deliver dedicated secure connectivity for mobile government platforms. The unified Ka-band network will incorporate the ultra-high-capacity ViaSat-3 satellites, each designed to move significant bandwidth to meet real-time demand in high-concentration areas. The recently launched ViaSat-3 F2 satellite will provide additional resilience for the Americas and the ViaSat-3 F3 satellite is planned to deliver coverage over the Asia-Pacific region.
“By unifying our Ka-band satellites into a single next-generation network, we are delivering the resilient, secure, and high-capacity connectivity that government missions demand around the world,” said Victor Farah, senior vice president of government services and solutions at Viasat. “This advancement reflects our commitment to providing trusted, user-centric communication services that give warfighters the global reach and information advantage they require in today’s increasingly contested environments.”
Source: Viasat
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