Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) has been awarded a $33.6 million contract including options from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) under the Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet (DEUCSI) program to develop and deliver Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) systems to enable resilient satellite communications for tactical aircraft, including rotary wing platforms.
The DEUCSI program aims to support the use of commercial satellite connectivity and services, and address the government need for resilient communications with a hybrid network that can leverage different frequencies, orbits and providers. Viasat will use its commercial AESA technology, as well as its extensive integration and radio frequency integrated circuits (RFIC) expertise, to develop a new phased array antenna that can deliver greater flexibility and reliability to meet changing mission requirements and demands for resilient communications.
“Viasat has extensive expertise supporting development of AESA phased array antenna technology across domains and we’re excited to bring that experience to the DEUCSI program,” said Michael Maughan, Vice President of Space and Mission Systems, Viasat Government. “We believe hybrid resilient communication solutions are central to future government mobility operations and our teams are committed to continuing to help solve these multi-band, multi-orbit, multi-constellation interoperability challenges with high performance, cost-effective capabilities.”
Viasat will deliver a high-performance, low size, weight and power (SWAP) AESA antenna that can support resilient communications for tactical aircraft by enabling connections across different frequencies, orbits and commercial networks. This AESA system will offer users the benefits of a simplified solution with no moving parts, improved performance and greater aerodynamics for the aircraft. These phased array antenna systems are also important for military users when missions require multiple beams, low probability of intercept (LPI) and jamming resistance capabilities.
Following previous awards announced in August 2023, Viasat has now received phased array antenna technology development contracts across land, maritime, space and airborne applications.