Sovereign, Resilient and Ready - the Next Era of SATCOM

As satellite communications (SATCOM) requirements continue to evolve, one reality is becoming increasingly clear: military and government users no longer need just bandwidth.

The future of military SATCOM will be defined by interoperability across multiple transport layers, enabling operators to move data securely and efficiently across commercial and military constellations as mission conditions demand.

L3Harris Technologies’ Panther™ II man-portable tactical SATCOM terminal and Comtech 5650C2/MP modem are now the industry’s only embeddable devices certified for SES’s O3b mPOWER Sovereign and Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) constellations. This certification confirms interoperability across multiple transport layers with a single piece of hardware.

“When contested electromagnetic environments become the norm rather than the exception, the ability to reduce detectability and improve transmission resilience is no longer a niche requirement,” said Bill Scorse, Director, SATCOM Programs, Mission Critical Communications, Communications & Spectrum Dominance, L3Harris. “Now is the time to integrate the building blocks for more robust multi-orbit, multi-network solutions.”

“When contested electromagnetic environments become the norm rather than the exception, the ability to reduce detectability and improve transmission resilience is no longer a niche requirement,” said Bill Scorse, Director, SATCOM Programs, Mission Critical Communications, Communications & Spectrum Dominance, L3Harris. “Now is the time to integrate the building blocks for more robust multi-orbit, multi-network solutions.”

Resiliency Through Options

To process the high-throughput data in a digital battlespace, users need assured access, sovereign control, low-latency performance and survivability across a diverse SATCOM architecture. This not only provides them with the actionable data needed but ensures security in contested environments.

The Panther II Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) and 5650C2/MP modem achieve this with certification on both O3b mPOWER and WGS.

O3b mPOWER operates in medium earth orbit, which enables lower latency than traditional geosynchronous orbit satellites – with high throughput – and has the ability to dynamically direct capacity where and when it is needed. This flexibility allows users to adapt to rapidly changing environments not only with high performance, but also more responsiveness to operational tempo, distributed forces and rapidly changing mission priorities.

Partnerships Building Strength

Terminals are only one part of the equation. Strategic advantage comes when terminal capability is paired with modem technology designed for tomorrow’s battlefields.

Through their partnership, L3Harris and Comtech have introduced an embeddable modem that’s simple to operate and protected from harsh environments, making it fit for rugged purposes.

“The 5650C2/MP strengthens the case for a more adaptable SATCOM across multi-network environments with updated waveform capabilities for low probability of intercept and low probability of detection (LPI/LPD),” said Scorse. “This modern defense communications design enhances LPI/LPD capabilities that shift SATCOM from a convenience layer to a more survivable mission asset.”

“The 5650C2/MP strengthens the case for a more adaptable SATCOM across multi-network environments with updated waveform capabilities for low probability of intercept and low probability of detection (LPI/LPD),” said Scorse. “This modern defense communications design enhances LPI/LPD capabilities that shift SATCOM from a convenience layer to a more survivable mission asset.”

Combined, Panther II certified for SES mPOWER Sovereign and the embeddable Comtech 5650C2/MP also certified for WGS reflects a broader industry movement toward hybrid, resilient, mission-tailored communications solutions.