Kymeta Government & Defense, Redmond, Wash., announced it has been awarded a contract with the Office for Naval Research (ONR) to further develop its multi-band, multi-beam antenna architecture.
The three-year development contract will “enable Kymeta to mature and expedite the research of its world-first innovation – multi-band connectivity with four concurrent full-duplex beams in Ku- and Ka-band frequencies with a single antenna aperture,” according to Kymeta. The technology was first successfully demonstrated in April 2025 and has undergone demonstration to multiple Department of Defense groups and agencies.
ONR’s interest in Kymeta’s KuKa technology aligns to the goal of the Communications and Networking Program within the C5ISRT Department (ONR 31). The program supports the Navy's Information Warfare vision by developing measurable advances in technology that directly enable and enhance end-to-end connectivity and quality of service for mission-critical information exchange among widely dispersed naval, joint, and coalition forces.
‘High performance antenna/arrays, for tactical platforms or unmanned systems with constrained size, weight, and power, are an important enabler for Distributed Maritime Operations,” according to Kymeta.
Bascom Hunter, a leader in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced electronics in resilient communications, signal processing, artificial intelligence (AI), and signal intelligence in aerospace and defense applications, has provided Kymeta with a purchase order for the first terminal prototype with the KuKa technology.
The agreement with Bascom Hunter will see Kymeta deliver the first single-antenna, multi-band, multi-orbit SATCOM terminal for testing and evaluation, starting in Q2 2026 as part of its existing relationship with the U.S. Navy.
Kymeta’s terminal, named in development as the ‘Kymeta KuKa 8 Series’, is a next-generation electronically steered user terminal with the highest capability density of any satcom antenna ever designed. It enables simultaneous operation across both Ku and Ka frequency bands within a single, compact, low-profile flat-panel antenna. I
It will enable pathway diversity across proliferated LEO and hybrid architectures - integrating GEO, MEO, LEO, and HEO, plus other WAN connections simultaneously and dynamically without the size, weight, power, and complexity challenges associated with traditional multi-antenna approaches.
Leveraging Kymeta’s shared aperture architecture, which uses the full antenna surface across multiple frequency bands rather than dividing the antenna into multiple panels, the new hybrid Kymeta KuKa terminal enables higher RF efficiency, narrower beamwidths, significantly lower power consumption, and a lower heat signature in a compact form factor ideal for naval vessels, unmanned autonomous systems, and other defense platforms.
The prototype will be evaluated across multiple commercial and government satellite architectures to support resilient, multi-orbit, multi-band operations.
“True SATCOM resilience is provided by network diversity rather than dependence on a single network, said Matthew Sieber, senior director of programs and strategy at Kymeta.
“ONR recognizes the need for capabilities that allow seamless switching between networks and frequency bands, ensuring resilient and uninterrupted connectivity. This capability is essential, because being disconnected, even momentarily, is not an option. Reliable access to critical data can determine mission success or failure, enable clear real-time decision-making, and ultimately influence whether fleets return home safely.”
“When we made our KuKa breakthrough last year, we knew it would have a transformational effect on military SATCOM capabilities,” said Sieber. “I’ve had conversations with (Defense Department) stakeholders about their requirements from satellite connectivity, and the answer is always the same: resilience through path diversity. A resilient and robust comms capability that never fails and supports responsive and agile operations while on the move. Kymeta’s new terminal will deliver on that need.”
Tasked with developing multi-band, multi-orbit SATCOM solutions for this program assessment, Bascom Hunter delivers capabilities via “a state-of-the-art multi-waveform, software defined modem and associated 3U VPX plug-in card modules,” according to Kymeta. “Bascom Hunter’s solution addresses key elements of increased MILSATCOM survivability through anti-jam, beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS), and multi-path communications in LEO, MEO, and GEO for the Navy.”
“Kymeta KuKa technology introduces a powerful new dimension of multi-band, multi-orbit flexibility that complements our multi-waveform, software-defined modem architecture,” said Craig Gendron, vice president/SATCOM at Bascom Hunter. “Together, this integration enables a scalable, survivable communications solution designed to ensure connectivity for the warfighter.”
“These efforts cement Kymeta as the leading multi-band, multi-orbit, flat-panel terminal provider for the U.S. DoD currently deployed across the globe,” Kymeta says. “This announcement builds on the momentum of being selected as the multi-orbit SATCOM provider for the U.S. Army’s Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) Pilot in Q3 2025. Further partnerships across the Department of Defense are in motion and will be announced in due course.”
With established interest from national security stakeholders in the U.S. and globally, Kymeta will continue to roll out its KuKa terminals for defense use cases in 2026. The terminals will also be available for a broad range of commercial use cases, including maritime, transportation, and emergency services, among others.
