AFRL Tasks Northrop Grumman to Enable Satellite-Based Internet on Aircraft

Defense and aerospace company Northrop Grumman has received an Air Force Research Laboratory contract to integrate commercial space internet connectivity on airborne platforms.

Through the Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet program, the Department of Defense aims to procure systems that can connect with low Earth orbit, medium Earth orbit and geostationary orbit networks, Northrop said.

Such connectivity is expected to facilitate secure data sharing and coordinated operations globally, supporting the DOD’s Joint All-Domain Command and Control initiative.

Brian Beal, principal aerospace engineer at AFRL’s strategic development planning and experimentation office, noted that he seeks to make communications available to forces across environments.

Northrop said it will produce an open architecture-based capability that can be rapidly integrated into airborne and ground vehicles. The company added that its open systems processors and antenna solutions will be tested to determine if they can deliver beyond-line-of-sight capabilities to air and ground troops.

In September, SES Space & Defense secured an AFRL contract to demonstrate multi-orbit, multi-band switching capabilities for the DEUCSI program.