Upstart Electronically Steerable Antenna (ESA) supplier NXTCOMM scored a contract for its Ku-band panel solution. The company’s Defense division was selected by L3Harris Technologies to deliver hardware in support of a US Department of Defense contract. Initial hardware deliveries are expected in Q1 2022.
NXTCOMM is excited to team with L3Harris, a global aerospace and defense technology innovator, to ensure mobile connectivity of our nation’s warfighters. We look forward to enhancing L3Harris’ connectivity reliability and speed with smarter, nimbler flat panel antenna technology that can immediately enhance the situational awareness of our soldiers deployed on the ground.
– David Horton, CEO, NXTCOMM
The solid-state ESA contains no moving parts and can connect to GEO, LEO, MEO or HEO satellites. It offers connectivity to the constellations in service today and forward compatibility for future LEO constellations in the process of being developed and launched.
NXTCOMM continues to build up manufacturing capabilities as it seeks to expand the customer base for its ESA platform. The company has made no secret of its hopes to score customers in the in-flight connectivity segment at some point in the future, but Chief Commercial Officer Steve Newell is realistic about that timeline, noting that the company will “chase down where the dollars are coming from and right now those happen to be in defense sectors on the ground and in the air.”
Similarly, CEO David Horton expects product development and customer focus to be “very fluid while we’re working our way through the needs of the [commercial aviation] industry timing strategies and financial recovery.”
“In order to meet the evolving needs of our customers L3Harris required a state-of-the-art, small form factor ESA suitable for both manpack and flyaway terminals. NXTCOMM’s ESAs are an ideal complement to L3Harris’ industry leading VSAT technologies, enabling the multi-orbit terminals that our customers need,” said Chris Aebli, President, Global Communications Systems, L3Harris. “L3Harris is excited about the partnership with NXTCOMM and looks forward to delivering this exciting capability to the hands of our warfighters.”
NXTCOMM validated the antenna circuitry design earlier this year, with expectations of production-level sub-assemblies to become available in Q4, arriving in the NXTCOMM offices for final assembly and, eventually, delivery to customers.
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