The Leonardo SW-4 Solo helicopter. Photo: Leonardo

Telespazio has selected the Hughes Network Systems HeloSat helicopter satcom solution for Leonardo helicopters, the companies announced Monday. This satcom solution will serve commercial and military missions across Italy and Europe. 

The HeloSat system provides rotorcraft with wideband satcom, enabling full motion video and high throughput data. Hughes says it is the only solution validated to transmit full-motion video for helicopters in real time. HeloSat combines the Hughes HM100 gateway and the HM400 modem for satcom on-the-move with technical support and systems integration. 

The system was validated in 2020, when Hughes performed multiple demonstrations on Black Hawk helicopters. 

Telespazio said that HeloSat will be installed on helicopters like the Leonardo SW-4 Solo optionally piloted/rotorcraft uncrewed system, to enable connectivity through-the-rotor using the Athena-Fidus Ka-band satellite capacity via the Telespazio ground station in Fucino, Italy.

“Hughes technology, advanced waveform and in-flight experience deliver multi-megabit-per-second speeds through rotary blades without packet loss — a competitive advantage for military and commercial helicopter applications,” said Alessandro Caranci, vice president and head of Satcom Line of Business for Telespazio.