Daniel Gizinski, left; Dr. Vagan Shakhgildian, right. Photo: Comtech

Comtech Telecommunications has established two new business lines focused on satellite ground technologies. Comtech said these two businesses will serve growing opportunities in satellite ground station technology, and the company’s ability to serve U.S. and allied governments as a defense contractor. The two businesses are based in the United States and Canada. 

Comtech Satellite Network Technologies, Inc. will be led by Daniel Gizinski and based in a new Comtech’ manufacturing and technology facility in Chandler, Arizona, and the existing Santa Clara, California facility. This business unit brings together Comtech’s satellite earth station products including EF Data and Radyne branded modem lines and all of Comtech’s XICOM branded solid-state and traveling-tube wave satellite amplifiers.

Comtech Satellite Network Technologies Corp. will be led by Dr. Vagan Shakhgildian and based in a new technology center located in Montreal, Quebec. Shakhgildian is the former CEO of UHP Networks, which Comtech acquired last year for its implementation techniques for time division multiple access (TDMA) technology. 

Shakhgildian’s team will be focused on team commercial networking opportunities for VSAT platforms and building an innovation center for Comtech’s commercial satellite Earth station communications technologies. This business unit brings together Comtech VSAT products and UHP and Memotec branded satellite networking solutions.

“Our customers expect Comtech to apply expertise and state-of-the-art technology to address their complex challenges,” said Comtech CEO and President Michael Porcelain. “This is especially the case for satellite and defense-related hardware and government contracts, both in the VSAT arena and more broadly. This organizational shift is the latest example of how Comtech is transforming itself to anticipate and meet the changing needs of our end markets.” 

This reorganization comes after Porcelain took over as CEO in 2022, succeeding longtime CEO Fred Kornberg. Comtech also just rejected an unsolicited takeover proposal from Acacia Research Corporation that the board said undervalued the company.