Viasat, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT) has been selected by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to support the prototyping and demonstration of technologies for the next phase of its Hybrid Space Architecture (HSA) project.
This groundbreaking initiative aims to integrate civil, commercial, and military space assets into a unified network environment and deliver secure, resilient, and agile communications for military operations that will enhance warfighters’ situational awareness and decision-making capabilities. DIU awarded new contracts to several companies, including Viasat, to prototype and demonstrate solutions to advance hybrid space capabilities. These demonstrations are expected to take place in the U.S. Indo-Pacific, European, Central, and South Command areas of responsibility over the next year, with some beginning as early as this summer.
Viasat’s Resilient Space Missions team, under the Defense and Advanced Technologies segment, will focus on demonstrating inter-Network Maneuvering, which is designed to allow seamless roaming and interoperability across government and commercial networks. This network interoperability and commercial integration are key to achieving U.S. Space Force (USSF) objectives and capabilities as outlined in multiple strategic documents (USSF Commercial Space Strategy, USSF Doctrine Document and USSF Space Warfighting Framework).
As part of its demonstration plans, Viasat will use its software-defined networking platform, NetAgility, to enable multi-path routing of communications to optimize data transport across the battlefield, delivering a dynamic capability that enhances network resilience. Viasat’s solution uses real-time network and mission situational awareness to drive intelligent, data-informed network selection and orchestration, offering continuous space-based connectivity through multi-orbit, multi-vendor networks.
The HSA project is a collaboration between DIU and U.S. Space Systems Command, in consultation with other Department of Defense agencies and combatant commands, to engage the commercial sector in the development of hybrid network technologies and solutions. Agile acquisition will facilitate the rapid integration, testing, and validation of these commercial technologies, with the goal to pilot an operational hybrid commercial and government space architecture by 2026.
“We’re proud to be part of this joint effort between government and the commercial sector to bring modern, rapidly available hybrid network capabilities to the battlespace to increase resilience, protection and provide warfighters with the real-time information they need. Our vision is to deliver agile, resilient capabilities that adapt in machine time to deter or overcome any adversary’s attack plans – making it impractical and self-defeating to consider conflict with U.S. or allied forces.” said Craig Miller, President of Viasat Government.
Miller continued, “We believe our expertise in satellite communications and network integration can be instrumental for the DoD’s HSA capability aims, delivering the network optionality that provides a strategic advantage. Viasat is committed to this effort because not only is a unified space network critical to the future operational needs of data-centric warfare, but it will also demonstrate effective resilience and help preserve the freedom to maneuver in space.”
