Viasat announced on Mar. 20 a new collaboration with QEST to advance multi-band, multi-orbit airborne connectivity solutions for government and defense aviation customers. The partnership focuses on integrating QEST’s X-band aperture technology into Viasat’s Global Aero Terminal (GAT) 5530, which is already widely used as part of Viasat’s Hybrid Satellite Architecture (HSA) platform.
The initiative aims to enhance mission assurance and operational flexibility for fixed-wing aircraft operators by developing an X/Ka multi-band terminal. This would allow access to both military X-band networks and commercial or military Ka-band satellite services without changing existing aircraft installation requirements.
According to the companies, the collaboration leverages Viasat’s expertise in high-throughput Ka-band satellite connectivity and QEST’s experience in precision airborne antenna systems. QEST brings a fully qualified X-band aperture operating at Technology Readiness Level 9, while Viasat contributes its mature GAT5530 terminal platform.
Jason Sabol, Vice President of Government Aviation at Viasat Government Services and Solutions, said: “Multi-band connectivity is becoming increasingly important for mission assurance and operational flexibility. Working with QEST allows us to explore how the proven performance of the Viasat GAT5530 platform could be expanded to support additional frequency bands and meet evolving sovereign mission requirements.”
Dr. Phillip Mayer, CEO at QEST, said: “At QEST, we drive technological innovation to provide our customers with maximum operational capability and secure communications. Our joint development of an X/Ka-capable aviation terminal with Viasat is a significant step towards delivering state-of-the-art multi-band and multi-orbit connectivity for the most demanding mission profiles.”
Looking ahead, both companies plan to evaluate system design options, potential manufacturing at QEST for the European defense market, and opportunities for future demonstrations. While no final product has been committed yet, the agreement establishes a long-term strategic partnership between Viasat and QEST.
