Viasat – a global leader in satellite communications – recently announced it will work with the U.S. Air Force’s Life Cycle Management Center (USAF LCMC) to transition and integrate new innovative technologies and capabilities as part of a $900 million ceiling, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. As part of the multi-award contract – known by its initialism LCMC XA IDIQ – Viasat is expected to prototype and test systems, hardware, software, and cybersecurity solutions to provide integrated and multi-domain capabilities for the USAF.
Viasat’s experts will accelerate and expand technology integration across the Air Force. And the contract has an approximate five-year term, with options for up to an additional five years.
The USAF is now developing new systems, software, and hardware rapidly as it keeps pace with industry innovation. And the architecture and integration directorate – AFLCMC/XA – works with industry contractors like Viasat to transition those technologies ever-faster to operational forces. The contract was set up to allow the USAF to access a wide range of industry solutions quickly and make integrated technology available to its personnel more quickly.
Viasat was selected for each of the three categories under the contract: ‘Development Planning’ will define the rapid transition of technology from lab to operational use; ‘Systems Development’ will see emerging systems, hardware, and software incorporated into existing platforms and tested in operational environments while ‘Synthetic Environment Development’ will enable the directorate to build advanced models and simulations based on real-life scenarios (digital twins) to perform operational assessments.
Viasat brings more than 35 years of satellite, networking, cybersecurity innovation and execution for the Department of Defense, including its ongoing work with the USAF fleet and a range of other space development programs. And the award will see Viasat offer its entire range of resilient communications capabilities, including commercially proven satellite services from its Ka-band, S-band, and L-band networks.
This contract is one of the first major DoD IDIQ contracts awarded to Viasat since its acquisition of Inmarsat in May 2023, significantly expanding the company’s scale and scope. The combined company now operates a fleet of 18 satellites in space, with an additional 10 satellites under development.
KEY QUOTE:
“Resilient communications and communications security are critical for military operations, and the USAF has been clear they need to move technology from development to at-scale operational use quicker than ever. This award provides the means to work directly with the Air Force research, development and operational communities to transition a huge range of developments, which can all ultimately help deliver mission success.”
- Susan Miller, President of Viasat Government
