ViaSat Will Help Deliver Satcom Equipment for the Australian Defense Force

Australian Army recruits from Alpha Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, practice bayonet fighting drills during recruit training at Blamey Barracks, Kapooka, New South Wales. Photo: Australian Department of Defense.

Northrop Grumman has selected ViaSat as a key partner in the delivery of a next-generation satellite communications network to the Australian Defense Force (ADF). Under a program known as Joint Project 2008 Phase 5B2, a large multiphase project to deploy an integrated wideband satcom system for the ADF, ViaSat will provide its ground stations and dual-band Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) satellite Earth terminals.

Specifically, prime contractor Northrop Grumman will work with ViaSat to deliver a satellite ground station at Kapooka Military Area, Wagga Wagga in New South Wales and a wideband satcom network management system to support home station and deployed forces.

According to the ADF, the WGS constellation is a vital military asset providing Australia, the United States, Canada, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and New Zealand with reliable and secure communications services worldwide.

ViaSat also recently delivered a number of complete ground stations for Australia’s National Broadband Network program.