Raytheon, L-3 Communications and ViaSat have received U.S. Air Force contracts for the Wideband Global Satellite Communications, or SATCOM, program. Image by Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite program office/Wikimedia Commons

WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Raytheon Co. Space and Airborne Systems, L-3 Communications Systems and ViaSat have received U.S. Air Force contracts for the Wideband Global Satellite Communications, or SATCOM, program.

The contracts for protected tactical service field demonstrations seek to demonstrate the ability to provide wideband anti-jam communications to tactical users using the Wideband SATCOM constellation and commercial SATCOM.


All three contracts are expected to be completed by September 2020.

Raython received a $39 million contract, with L-3 getting $38 million and ViaSat $33 million.

Raytheon's work will be done in Massachusetts, L-3's in Utah and ViaSat's in California.

The Space and Missile Systems Center is the contracting activity.

The Wideband Global SATCOM satellite is the backbone of the U.S. military's global satellite communications and provides flexible, high-capacity communications.