Compact High Data Rate L-band SATCOM for Group 3 ISR Platforms

A defense customer operating Group 3 UAVs needed a higher bandwidth SATCOM solution capable of supporting Full HD (1080p) sensor streaming, persistent C2 links, and simultaneous multi-aircraft operations.

Challenge

The customer needed:

SATCOM that fits strict weight and space limits (~2.5 kg allowance)
Guaranteed bandwidth to support 1080p ISR streaming
Assured availability (99.99%) for long‑duration, multi‑platform missions
A network resilient to weather impacts & GNSS‑denied conditions

Solution

SD Government (SDG) deployed a compact 2.5 kg SATCOM solution capable of delivering 3+ Mbps over the global Viasat L-band network. The service was delivered as a leased capacity model to ensure guaranteed throughput and 99.99% service availability for multi platform operations.

Key Solution Components

Ultracompact 2.5 kg L-band Terminal

Supports 3+ Mbps—sufficient for 1080p HD video in a SWaP constrained environment

Dedicated Leased Capacity (L-band)

Guaranteed, contention free throughput with 99.99% service availability

Full Integration and Airtime Management

SDG handles hardware sourcing, capacity leasing, and all integration engineering to deliver a predictable ISR communications pipeline

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