Air Force awards space internet contract

The Air Force awarded Raytheon a $36 million contract to build a system to communicate with military platforms via multiple commercial space internet satellites.

On June 12, the company was awarded the contract under the Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet program, according to a Defense Department notice.

DEUCIS, an Air Force Research Laboratory initiative, focuses on establishing and experimenting with the capability to move and share data easily among a wide variety of fixed and mobile operating locations, constantly using available, high-bandwidth, beyond-line-of-sight communications.

The contractor is expected to build the system using multiple commercial space internet constellations in various orbital regimes using common user terminal and hardware elements, according to the notice.

“This award is the result of a competitive acquisition under the DEUCSI Advanced Research Announcement Open Two Step Solicitation,” the service said. “This award is the result of a competitive acquisition with one offer received.”

The service said fiscal year 2023 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $15 million are being obligated at the time of the award.

Raytheon is expected to complete the work by March 6, 2026, according to the notice.