New technology will offer faster airborne ISR solution with guaranteed availability anywhere in the world
FARNBOROUGH – Viasat Inc., a global leader in satellite communications, on Tuesday unveiled AIR-IQ, its soon-to-be-launched new connectivity solution designed to provide faster and smarter intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) communications for government and military missions around the world.
AIR-IQ will help the military to have a clearer and more accurate view of the battlefield, ensuring that users have access to reliable, real-time intelligence to make quick and safe decisions. Robust ISR connectivity offers a 360-degree understanding of conflict zones, giving military users a critical edge where and when it matters most – reducing risk and increasing mission success, always with the highest safety standards.
Viasat’s solution is designed to meet the intense requirements of manned and unmanned ISR missions for governments around the world. Available in the coming months, AIR-IQ will have the ability to switch between low and high throughput connectivity, depending on the needs of the mission. This automated capability aims to eliminate friction, optimize bandwidth efficiency and costs, and offer higher speeds when needed, with data transfers exceeding 10 Mbps.
To meet the complex demands of missions, AIR-IQ will provide resilient multiband connectivity for operations in congested areas in the Ka (commercial and military), Ku and L bands, allowing customers to access different services and switch between frequencies as required.
“We’re looking to simplify ISR connectivity so that users can focus on what really matters: improving situational awareness and gaining an advantage on the battlefield. AIR-IQ will offer a robust, reliable and flexible connectivity solution, designed to adapt to mission needs instantly. We developed it to deliver the speed and performance needed to power real-time mission communications,” says Todd McDonell, President of Viasat International Government. “Our constant focus on innovation and customer needs is the driving force behind AIR-IQ, offering a balance between flexibility and reliability for operations in any environment,” he adds.
AIR-IQ’s services will be highly flexible to meet different needs and make it possible to operate with other networks. Operators will also be able to manage multiple aircraft in a fleet and switch networks seamlessly as mission requirements change, all within a single AIR-IQ capability. In addition, Viasat will continue to maintain the high reliability rate of its services with accurate, service-level information.
This new technology will be delivered by Viasat and its partner networks, taking advantage of software-defined networking applications to intelligently route or even split traffic to the most appropriate band and network, avoiding failures. This capability will help provide more secure data transport, which is essential for operations and the safety of the warfighter on mission.
Viasat’s current fleet of satellites – along with its future satellites scheduled to enter service over the next four years – is designed to provide global coverage and greater capacity where needed, including coverage in the Arctic region to meet emerging government and ISR mission demands.