DataPath, Inc. has been awarded US$100 million by the U.S. Army to manufacture and integrate Ka-band conversion kits and provide spares kits that will enable DataPath Satellite Transportable Terminals (STTs) and other systems on the battlefield to operate using the Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) system.

The satellite communications (satcom) terminals being converted were designed and built by DataPath and deployed by the U.S. Army for the Joint Network Node (JNN)/Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) program. With all options exercised over a base year and three option years, the agreement could total as much as US$225 million for DataPath. 

The WGS system, with its first satellite launched in October 2007, increases the high-bandwidth communications capacity available to support U.S. military operations worldwide by adding Ka- and X-band capacity to supplement limited military X band and commercial Ku band. This will be the first deployment of large numbers of WGS-capable, Ka-band satcom terminals for the JNN/WIN-T program. DataPath’s Ka band solution for JNN/WIN-T has been certified by the U.S. Army Strategic Command (ARSTRAT) for use on the WGS system. Under this delivery order, DataPath will provide and install Ka-band conversion kits on approximately 800 deployed DataPath STTs and 18 Unit Hub SATCOM Trucks (UHSTs). DataPath will also provide spare kits for the retrofitted terminals. In addition, DataPath will provide and install modem upgrades to hundreds of JNN/WIN-T SATCOM terminals, including STTs, UHSTs and master reference terminals (MRTs), to improve throughput and add flexibility for the future architecture of JNN/WIN-T.