Viasat had integrated a managed satcom solution on a U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command (MSC) ship. Photo: Viasat

Viasat had integrated a managed satcom solution on a U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command (MSC) ship as part of a contract to provide service to 105 ships. Viasat announced the first installation on Tuesday. 

Inmarsat Government received the Next Generation Wideband (NGW) follow-on 10-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract from the Defense Information Systems Agency in June 2022. Inmarsat, now a Viasat company, has served the MSC for more than 10 years. The follow-on contract is worth up to $578 million. 

Viasat upgraded the MSC ship’s primary afloat network from Ku-band to the Global Xpress (GX) Ka-band system and Elera Enhanced L-band Maritime Antenna (ELMA), a variant of the LAISR L-band solution to provide communications on the move via a small-size, high throughput terminal. The hybrid solution of Ka- and L-band service ensures that the MSC ships have worldwide communications capabilities and an on-demand backup network. As a managed service, it includes satellites, ground networks, and type-approved terminals. 

“As the premier maritime logistics provider for the U.S. Department of Defense, the Military Sealift Command plays a critical role in our nation’s defense. Our ships must have resilient communications capabilities that deliver consistent performance and can be relied upon regardless of location or weather conditions,” said Eliot J. Skinner, deputy command information officer. “These upgrades ensure that our Mariners can confidently operate anywhere in the world knowing they have a reliable, redundant communications network supporting them.”