Hughes to Support DEUCSI Program Under SES Contract

SES Space & Defense has awarded Hughes Network Systems a contract to support SES work on a resilient satellite communications capability for military users.

Hughes will provide its Network Management System, Enterprise Management and Cloud capabilities and Smart Network Edge software, allowing SES to enable a flexible, software-defined, multi-orbit satellite communications network. SES will also integrate a low-Earth orbit solution into the Hughes auto-PACE offering to enhance SATCOm resilience and work on Hughes’ HM100 and HM400 satellite modems that provide geosynchronous orbit and medium-Earth orbit connectivity.

The contract supports the Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet program, undertaken by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory and SES Space & Defense, Hughes said.

The award comes months after Hughes introduced Smart Network Edge, a defense networking product that serves as a software-defined wide area network router compatible with commercial and military communications networks, including 5G and space-based solutions. Smart Network Edge enables remote modem management, automated routing selection and data packet distribution across multiple networks.

Hughes also provides network-related work to other military users. In 2022, the company secured a three-year, $18 million agreement from the U.S. Navy to deploy a standalone 5G network at the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, supporting the Department of Defense’s 5G experimentation activity.