...U.S. government for broadband satellite services to support enroute military aircraft. The all-IP service plan is designed to enable access to NIPR, SIPR, and commercial Internet, as well as VOIP and VTC sessions during transcontinental or transoceanic flights. The initial one-year agreement is renewable for multiple years and includes options to add other aircraft, additional missions, and supplemental service. For senior leadership, VIP, and other broadband requirements, ViaSat is providing tiered service plans with a range of networking and performance levels. Most plans include worldwide roaming access as a complement to higher priority regional service.

Terminals for the aircraft and on the ground will be based on ViaSat ArcLight® technology, already on over 300 government aircraft with more than 500,000 flight hours. Military aircraft using the technology include MC-12s, C-37s, C-130s, and more recently larger aircraft such as the C-17.

The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) was the first military organization to use patented ArcLight technology in a high-speed Ku-band network on its C-130 aircraft. ArcLight terminals have enabled these and other aircraft to conduct advanced ISR missions using ultra-small antennas with apertures under 12 inches in diameter. ViaSat mobile broadband installations now total over 1,750 systems, encompassing government missions and commercial applications in general aviation, maritime, and high-speed rail.

“Our vision is that government airborne users experience true mobile broadband performance through our augmented regional services”, said Paul Baca, GM Global Mobile Broadband at ViaSat. “Customers can have worldwide connectivity with seamless roaming to our commercial Yonder® service.”