Rendering of a Royal Navy Type 31 frigate. Photo: Babcock International

Viasat’s U.K. subsidiary won a U.K. Ministry of Defence contract to supply Ultra High Frequency (UHF) satellite communications on five new Royal Navy Type 31 frigates. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed. 

Viasat UK Ltd., said in a Wednesday release that the UHF satcom will provide the Type 31 frigates with secure integrated voice and data services for communications between Royal Navy maritime vessels and headquarters. It is designed to keep commanders aware of fleet disposition and provide secure Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) communication between ships and mobile units like boats and helicopters. 

“This UHF SATCOM capability will ensure the Royal Navy Type 31 frigates will have the robust, secure, world-wide UHF voice and data services it needs for modern warfare operations in the current information advantage environment,” Steve Beeching, managing director of Government Systems for Viasat U.K. commented. “The importance of the UHF satcom capability in enabling defense to co-ordinate limited assets, at its disposal, while effectively supporting allies globally cannot be understated.”