XTAR Provides Capacity for Navy’s MQ-4C Triton Testing; U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Using XTAR-LANT

XTAR, LLC was awarded a 12-month indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with a one year option, by the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to support testing of its MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicle. XTAR will provide space segment capacity to the Patuxent, MD-based command center for the contract with an estimated value of $1.8M.

The MQ-4C Triton is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed under the Navy’s Persistent Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems program. Designed and manufactured by Northrop Grumman for the U.S. Navy, the MQ-4C system is intended to provide real-time intelligence and reconnaissance in a maritime environment and support search and rescue missions. Triton’s communications payload is built to specifically leverage X-band and military Ka-band frequencies.

XTAR will supply space segment capacity on the XTAR-LANT North America spot beam on a daily basis as required by NAVAIR to meet its variable testing schedule. Due to the irregular schedule of the testing, the required volume of bandwidth will also vary. XTAR has also supported NAVAIR in the past.

“Support to the Triton program fits squarely into what XTAR does well which is providing X-band for mobile applications in a highly flexible and reliable structure,” said Andrew Ruszkowski, Chief Commercial Officer of XTAR. Kelly Nicklin, who also worked the project added, “we are very happy to help usher into service a system which gives the Navy the flexibility to use both Milsatcom and Comsatcom sources of bandwidth. It confirms XTAR’s value as a non-pre-emptible, short-notice service complement to DoD’s Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) constellation. This service is uniquely designed for the Navy and we hope other branches of the service will want to copy the savings and flexibility that the Navy is getting.”

XTAR-LANT’s fixed and steerable spot beams offer flexible bandwidth capabilities for the government user. The satellite’s coverage extends from the United States to the South American and African continents as well as the Middle East.