The U.S. Naval Information Warfare Systems Command has awarded communications technology company Viasat a $99 million task order to provide radio system terminals that link military platforms in various environments.
The lot buy order, which comes as part of a $998 million U.S. Navy indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract first presented to Viasat in 2020, calls for the construction, upkeep and maintenance of multifunctional information distribution system joint tactical radio system terminals, the Carlsbad, California-based company said Monday.
Craig Miller, president of Viasat’s government systems unit, explained that the MIDS JTRS terminals are a key element of the Navy and other service branches’ strategy for transmitting data and information in combat, as well as contacting allies in a secure fashion.
“This award further indicates Viasat’s commitment and expertise providing Link 16 tactical communications solutions supporting US and Allied armed services…Viasat is proud to be a trusted supplier of this capability for today’s allied warfighting force,” Miller continued.
Working under this task order, Viasat will directly contribute to the widespread usage of MIDS JTRS terminals, which reportedly proliferate amongst the U.S. military and many allies overseas. It will put to the test Viasat’s ability to offer up large quantities of the radios, which are classified as Link 16 terminals and serve as the datalink bedrock on a line-of-sight network in a battlefield scenario across land, sea and air sources.
The MIDS JTRS terminals are also aimed to boost situational awareness for warfighters.
The new lot buy order, awarded by the MIDS Program Office of NAVWAR during the second quarter of Viasat’s fiscal year 2022, comes on the heels of a June contract bestowed to the company by the Department of Defense’s Information Warfare Research Project. Under the latter award, their team will investigate 5G networks’ potential for supporting expeditionary advanced base operations.
