Viasat has incorporated its dual-band broadband satellite communication terminal GAT-5530 into the Irish Air Corps’ new Airbus C295 maritime surveillance aircraft. The company said the terminal’s Ku and Ka band airborne technology provides secure and flexible satcom connectivity that will enhance the aircraft’s military capability.
Ireland ordered two C295 MSA planes in 2019, with Airbus delivering the first aircraft in June and the second in October. The Viasat-equipped Airbus C295 MSA first delivered to Ireland was exhibited at the Paris Air Show held in June.
C295 MSA provides IAC with a versatile, next-generation tactical transport plane and platform for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, Viasat said. The aircraft’s multi-faceted GAT-5530 terminal, which supports the entire ITU Ku and Ka bands, will enable its crew to access 3.5GHz of commercial and military Ka band for greater operational flexibility, it added.
Multi-orbit satellite communication architectures, such as geostationary Earth orbit and low-Earth orbit, are accessible via the terminal, Viasat noted. Besides mission connectivity support, Viasat’s broadband satcom service provides enough capacity for monitoring and analyzing aircraft health data for maintenance purposes.