ViaSat to support and modernize U.S. Navy's UHF satellite communications network

CARLSBAD, Calif., 31 Aug. 2016. Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) officials in San Diego sought an industry partner to help maintain the long-term viability of UHF systems, ensuring Navy warfighters have ongoing support and access to proven communications technology when in the battlespace. They found that partner in ViaSat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global broadband services and technology company.

ViaSat won a sole source contract for engineering, technical services, and hardware/software products in support of the U.S. Navy's joint Ultra High Frequency (UHF) military satellite communications (SATCOM) system.

The U.S. Navy Ultra-high frequency Follow-On (UFO) program oversees a constellation of six on-orbit geosynchronous satellites that provides tactical narrowband UHF satellite communications to the Defense Department and other government agencies.

Under this SPAWAR contract, ViaSat will help support the sustainment and modernization of the joint UHF military SATCOM network integrated control system, UHF SATCOM channel controllers, and user terminals. In addition, ViaSat will provide a path to a modern crypto design for next-generation UHF terminals.

"UHF military SATCOM has a long history enabling beyond line-of-sight communication across the battlespace, and provides a solid, 'always available' communications solution," explains Ken Peterman, senior vice president and general manager of ViaSat’s Government Systems Division. "This award reflects the Navy's commitment to using proven UHF radios and channel controllers already deployed worldwide, mitigating risk with non-fielded communications systems in order to ensure continued and enhanced capabilities for the warfighter many years into the future."

ViaSat provides everything from single-user terminals to complete UHF sovereign channel control systems to support UHF satellite communications for defense organizations. The company provides UHF Military satcom terminals, modems, embeddable modules, simulators, RF infrastructure, and over-all network management.

The ViaSat terminals are Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) and NSA certified to ensure compliance with Legacy Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA) Military Standards and provide interoperability with internationally-fielded UHF SATCOM terminals. ViaSat enables the transition to Integrated Waveform (IW), the next generation of UHF. IW allows doubling current UHF capacity and enables cell phone-like calling with low latency and enhanced voice quality while retaining legacy interoperability.

According to SPAWAR, the face value of this award is $48,270,580 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract. This contract has a five-year ordering base period up to the contract award amount and an option for another five-year ordering period to be negotiated prior to exercise of the option. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity.

As a global broadband services and technology company, ViaSat Inc. (NASDAQ:VSAT) ensures consumers, businesses, governments, and military personnel have communications access - anywhere - whether on the ground or in-flight. The company's innovations in designing highest-capacity satellites and secure ground infrastructure and terminal technologies coupled with its international network of managed Wi-Fi hotspots enable ViaSat to deliver a best available network that extends the reach and accessibility of broadband internet service, globally.