Viasat Secures Two DOD Contracts to Support 5G Research

The Department of Defense has awarded communications company Viasat two contracts to conduct research in support of the Information Warfare Research Project.

The research work will focus on examining the use and implementation of 5G networks in battlefield operations.

The two awards are part of the Pentagon’s 5G research initiative amounting to $600 million with the aim of improving soldiers’ 5G warfighting capabilities, Viasat said Monday.

In its press release, the Carlsbad, California-headquartered company said it will work with the Defense Department to determine and understand the best ways for the U.S. to use 5G technology in enabling multi-domain operations in upcoming warfighting programs such as the Joint All-Domain Command and Control concept.

The research awards will focus on two areas. Work will be conducted over three years.

The first focus area is on improving C2 applications and services. Viasat will provide the DOD with C2 hardware packages designed for supporting command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; networking; and cybersecurity software. The communications company will integrate the capabilities into military networks using 5G to enhance visibility on the battlefield.

The second is on 5G-enhanced network deployment for agile combat employment operations in contested environments. Under this area, the company will examine the rapid configuration and deployment of 5G nodes at the tactical edge that could be needed when operating in unknown battlezones. The research work will seek to understand the capabilities and configurations for enterprise orchestration and management, tactical network dimensioning and planning, and low probability of intercept and low probability of detection capabilities.

The DOD awards will also cover the use of the company’s NetAgility product, which will offer multi-path transport and network management support.

Additionally, Viasat will work to deliver high bandwidth capabilities using 5G millimeter-wave and Free Space Optics links, as well as test rapid network modification and configuration using a 5G digital twin model.