CARLSBAD — ViaSat is taking its Internet services to the next level.
The United States Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) awarded the Carlsbad-based company a contract to provide global in-flight broadband and communication services, ViaSat announced on Monday.
In short, the company’s critically acclaimed wireless Internet will be on board Air Force One, the plane of the president of the United States.
In a statement, ViaSat said the service enables “a Situation Room in the sky” experience — with the ability to use the in-flight broadband connection to stream full-motion high-definition video for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), en-route Command and Control (C2) and Search and Rescue (S&R) missions; maintain two-way communications through HD video conference calling or voice over internet protocol calls; access real-time intelligence and other location-based, live-sensor data for critical decision-making and more.
ViaSat’s high-capacity global in-flight Internet service ensures executive and government leaders and their teams can stay connected, informed and productive, maximizing the effectiveness of time in-flight with ‘Situation Room and Command Center’ connectivity in the sky,” said Ken Peterman, senior vice president and general manager, Government Systems Division. “This award is a significant accomplishment and we are proud to be delivering remarkably fast data speeds and an abundance of capacity to support the in-flight communications needs of our government’s senior leadership on Air Force One and other special air mission aircraft.”
ViaSat believes a key enabler to delivering this global in-flight broadband connectivity is that it offers a field-proven, certified, hybrid Ku-/Ka-band system, which will keep government aircraft connected to ViaSat’s best available satellite network.
The hybrid terminal and radome enables automatic in-flight network switching across Ku- and Ka-band satellite networks for an advanced “global roaming capability.”
According to DISA, the face value of this award is $33,052,330 funded by fiscal 2016 operations and maintenance funding. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $73,217,722. The synopsis/notice of intent was posted on the Federal Business Opportunities webpage.
The period of performance runs through May 31, 2017, with two six-month option periods. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is the contracting activity.
