On Sept. 14, 2026, SWISSto12 announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO) to co-develop advanced radio frequency (RF) products and satellite payloads tailored for Japan and the broader Asia-Pacific (APAC) market.
Alongside the strategic agreement, MELCO awarded SWISSto12 a commercial supply contract to deliver advanced phased array antenna assemblies for the Japanese government’s geostationary (GEO) secure communications initiative.
Technical Integration and Manufacturing Baseline
The strategic partnership links MELCO’s space systems integration capabilities with SWISSto12’s proprietary additive manufacturing (3D-printing) techniques for RF hardware. Utilizing additive manufacturing allows satellite payload components to be fabricated with reduced structural mass and smaller physical envelopes while shortening production cycle times relative to traditional subtractive machining methods.
- Product Focus: Phased array antenna products and RF payload sub-assemblies
- Target Platforms: Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) defense satellites and commercial platforms
- Flight Heritage: Over 2,000 SWISSto12 additive-manufactured components active in orbit
- Corporate Scale: SWISSto12 reported $140 million in revenue for 2025, backed by over $500 million in contracted backlog
Strategic Expansion in the Asia-Pacific Market
The alliance aims to meet rising demand across APAC for sovereign communications infrastructure across land, air, sea, and space domains. By embedding SWISSto12’s HummingLink 3D-printed technology into MELCO’s satellite systems, both companies intend to offer higher-throughput, mass-efficient hardware options for government and commercial fleet operators.
Executive Statements
“We are proud to partner strategically with MELCO and support the next-generation sovereign communications system of Japan,” said Emile de Rijk, CEO of SWISSto12. “Demand in APAC is growing for innovative, advanced payloads and RF products across sovereign land, sea, air, and space applications and we are confident that together, we can scale our ability to meet it.“
“SWISSto12’s innovative technologies, including its 3D-printing-based component manufacturing technology and small geostationary satellite platform, hold tremendous potential,” said Masahiko Arai, Executive Officer and Group President of Defense & Space Systems at Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. “By combining these technologies with our expertise in the development and manufacturing of defense- and space-related systems, which we have cultivated over the years, we are confident that we can deliver unprecedented value to our customers.“
