Viasat ($VSAT) won a five-year contract worth up to $568M that will put its satellite comms tech into the hands of more troops.
The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract, awarded by the General Services Administration, will task Viasat with supporting command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, and ISR (C5ISR for acronym lovers) capabilities for the broader military beyond special operations forces.
The award suggests that cyber security and broadband SATCOM services have become a central aspect of the DoD’s overall defense strategy as it looks ahead to future conflicts.
Same same, but different: The contract is a follow-on to a similar contract in 2019, but with a broader scope. The change reflects the DoD’s more robust requirements and Viasat’s increased technical capabilities following internal advancements, and the company’s acquisition of Inmarsat in 2023.
“Viasat has increased its portfolio of capabilities to address operational gaps in contested environments, mirroring the DoD’s need to prepare for a ‘peer’ conflict. These critical capabilities are now readily available to the entire DoD through this IDIQ,” Vic Farah, SVP of Viasat government solutions and services, told Payload.
The contract gives DoD accelerated access to the tools it needs for enhanced mobility, resilient networking architecture, cybersecurity, and SATCOM services.
Some of the tech the DoD expects take advantage of includes:
- Tactical gateways and advanced networking
- Airborne, ground-based, and mobile SATCOM terminals
- Beyond-line-of-sight satellite services
- Cybersecurity and encryption capabilities
For its part, Viasat will also work hand-in-hand with the military to identify and develop next-generation capabilities that can address the ongoing requirements of the DoD’s C5ISR mission.
This story has been updated to include a quote from Viasat’s SVP of government solutions and services, Vic Farah.
