Modern government and defense missions routinely operate across dozens of independent communications pathways. These include multiple satellite constellations and frequency bands, as well as terrestrial and tactical links such as LTE, 5G, line-of-sight RF, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet. In many operational environments, users may have access to more than 30 distinct links, each with different performance characteristics, costs, and availability.

Historically, these networks operate in isolation. Switching between them is often manual, slow, or reactive, creating operational risk during jamming, interference, congestion, or environmental degradation. Even when multiple links are available, bandwidth is often underutilized because systems cannot intelligently coordinate traffic across networks.

The challenge extended beyond technology. The Department of Defense increasingly seeks non-traditional vendors and academic-industry teams that can move faster than conventional acquisition cycles, rapidly prototype capabilities, and transition them into operational use. SDG needed a way to both solve the technical problem and align with these evolving acquisition and sourcing models.

At the hardware level, SDG conceived having to develop a reconfigurable multi-band modem architecture with multiple card slots capable of interfacing with multiple satellite networks and terrestrial communications systems simultaneously. This approach eliminates vendor lock-in and enables rapid adaptation as networks evolve. During our research, the rapid integration of SpaceX’s Starlink and Starshield, Eutelsat OneWeb launch, and the impending Amazon LEO all in conjunction with the USAF Defense Exploration Using Commercial Space Internet (DEUCSI) reduced the requirement for a one-box to rule them all strategy - connecting the disparate links became the key!

At the software layer, Premonition implements real-time traffic steering, aggregation, prioritization, and failover across all available links. Traffic is managed at the packet level, allowing seamless transitions between networks without disrupting mission-critical services.

The intelligence layer was explored in collaboration with Florida Institute of Technology, with subject matter expertise provided by Dr. Debasis Mitra (Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science) and Dr. Troy Nguyen (Assistant Dean College of Engineering & Professor of Mechanical Engineering), both recognized leaders in RF systems, communications theory, and applied AI. Their research contributions directly supported the development of predictive network behavior models, reinforcement learning techniques, and real-time decision logic.

SDG’s solution, Premonition, integrates adaptive COTS hardware, intelligent WAN orchestration software, and an AI-driven decision engine into a unified system, enabled through a tightly coupled industry-academic partnership.

This collaboration exemplifies SDG’s approach to DoD-aligned rapid innovation: pairing operationally grounded system engineering with university-led research to accelerate technology maturation from concept through deployment under STTR, OTA, and CSO mechanisms.

Strategic Academic Partnership Advantage

The partnership with FIT provided benefits that extended well beyond technical research:

Alignment with DoD Innovation Initiatives

FIT’s research capabilities and government engagement model align directly with DoD priorities for rapid prototyping, experimentation, and transition under OTA and CSO authorities. This partnership positions SDG to respond quickly to emerging requirements without relying solely on traditional defense primes.

Talent Pipeline and Workforce Development

As a direct result of the STTR collaboration, SDG hosted a Florida Tech graduate student intern, a student of Dr. Debasis Mitra, who worked within SDG’s Data Science team. The intern was highly effective and well received by Raymond Schaub, Senior Director of Data Science, validating the value of academic-to-industry talent pathways.

This experience demonstrated a scalable model for future internships and early-career talent development, strengthening SDG’s long-term technical workforce while supporting DoD goals for STEM pipeline development.

Geographic and Institutional Synergy

FIT is located in Melbourne, Florida, in close proximity to SDG operations. This enables frequent collaboration, rapid iteration, and hands-on engagement between engineering teams. FIT’s ongoing expansion of its VERTEX research initiative further enhances this synergy.

VERTEX Research Collaboration Potential

The FIT VERTEX team focuses on applied research with classified military and government users, including:

• RF systems and spectrum engineering
• UAV and autonomous systems
• Aviation and FAA collaboration
• Government-sponsored experimentation and prototyping

This capability set directly complements SDG’s mission areas across SATCOM, airborne networking, and advanced communications, making FIT a strategic long-term partner for future R&D, demonstrations, and transition efforts.

Premonition has been demonstrated with U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force stakeholders through operational scenarios, trade shows, and technical evaluations. These demonstrations validated the system’s ability to maintain persistent connectivity while dynamically transitioning across multiple networks, supporting long-duration missions and high-demand operational environments.  FIT hosted SDG for their Military & Government Industry Event which had key POCs from Delta Launch 45, Patrick SFB, and NASA.

The Premonition program progressed from TRL 0 to TRL 7 through phased development, laboratory validation, field demonstrations, and currently awaiting test evaluation to result in a production-ready capability aligned with operational needs.