Redwire to Manufacture Link-16 Antennas for National Security LEO Constellation

Redwire’s facility in Longmont, Colorado. Photo: Redwire

Redwire Corporation has received a contract for 42 high gain antennas for an undisclosed national security customer for a Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. The antennas will enable beyond line-of-sight communications for the warfighter using a secured tactical network. 

Redwire did not share the national security customer or mission but the announcement came on the same day that MDA announced a contract to supply Lockheed Martin with Link 16 antennas for 42 satellites the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 1 Transport Layer. York Space Systems and Northrop Grumman are the two other primes on the SDA contract. 

Redwire said the contract has significant follow-on potential. The antennas will be manufactured in Redwire’s recently expanded Longmont, Colorado facility. The work is scheduled to be delivered within the next 18 months.

Earlier this year, Redwire successfully delivered antennas for the initial phase of this constellation. The company said this award builds on previous advanced antenna development and Redwire’s antenna technology was selected for the original pathfinder mission to demonstrate this waveform from space.

“This antenna product line encompasses years of research and development of advanced antenna systems alongside industry and military customers. Redwire has already begun investing in the development of future mission critical antenna technologies for future phases of this constellation, as well as other Department of Defense and intelligence community missions,” commented Dean Bellamy, Redwire’s executive vice president of National Security.