Viasat Wins Contract from Northrop Grumman on U.S. Air Force's Commercial Space Internet Experiments
CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global leader in satellite communications, has been awarded a contract from Northrop Grumman to support the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) initiative, called the Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet (DEUCSI) Call 003 program – better known by its nickname 'Global Lightning.'
- Northrop Grumman was awarded a four-year contract to test how defense contractors and commercial satcom providers could integrate space internet services into existing military systems.
- As part of its contract with Northrop Grumman, Viasat will provide its ViaSat-3 Satellite Communications Network to enable military users to easily access high-bandwidth satellite internet connectivity from existing USAF aircraft or ground vehicles.
- Under the deal, Viasat will integrate its ViaSat-3 modem into Northrop Grumman's open systems processors and antenna solutions to conduct experiments demonstrating its use on multiple platforms.
- "Global Lightning is about delivering flexibility and agility for military users," said Victor Farah, Head of Viasat Government Systems.