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Marines Tap Viasat for $307M Global Comms Upgrade
9 May
Summary
- Viasat awarded $307 million contract for Marine Corps satellite services.
- Contract supports global communications using multi-orbit satellite technology.
- Inmarsat, acquired by Viasat, previously held the contract.
Viasat has been awarded a substantial $307 million contract to provide satellite communications services for the U.S. Marine Corps. The Space Systems Command's commercial space office finalized the five-year agreement, known as MECS2, ensuring continued global communication support for the Marines.
This contract emphasizes integrating multi-orbit and multi-band commercial satellite services. It includes access to resources across various orbits and frequency bands, offering transponded bandwidth capacity and end-to-end managed services. This approach aligns with broader Department of Defense efforts to leverage diverse satellite architectures.
The MECS2 program aims to modernize Marine Corps communications by incorporating newer commercial satellite technologies. Viasat, having acquired Inmarsat, which previously held the contract, was the sole bidder for this recompete. The work will be performed at various locations worldwide, supporting the Marine Corps' extensive operational requirements.
