SOCOM to Update over 500 Satellite Ground Stations

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The United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has made plans to upgrade the service’s satellite ground stations. As part of a $100 million contract, L3Harris Technologies will upgrade approximately 550 satellite ground stations for SOCOM. The satellite ground stations help support military command, control, and communication.

The contract will last five years. Over the five year period L3Harris will upgrade the Hawkeye III Lite very small aperture terminals (VSAT), by providing new hardware and software for the systems.

“This agreement extends the service life of our customer’s existing terminals and highlights the priority SOCOM places on ensuring their deployed users are equipped with the latest in VSAT technology,” said a senior official at L3Harris Technologies.

Three years ago, the company has delivered over 45 Hawkeye III Lite VSATs to the United States Air National Guard and has trained personnel to enable direct communications with the satellite terminals, according to C4isrnet.com.

The Hawkeye family of VSAT terminals are easily deployable terminals that help keep soldiers safe on the battlefield. The systems help provide direct communications support to soldiers on the battlefield. Up until now, the United States Army has acquired over 4,000 systems since 2003. 

On a similar note, last year L3Harris has been awarded by SOCOM an $86 million contract as part of a $390 million program that first begun in 2015. The contract was for the development and shipping of handheld tactical radios that can be used with multiple channels for use by special forces.