Kymeta Wins ONR Contract for Multi-Band SATCOM Technology

Redmond, Washington – Kymeta Government & Defense has been awarded a significant contract by the Office for Naval Research (ONR) to further develop the company's multi-band, multi-beam antenna architecture. The three-year development contract will enable the maturation and acceleration of its technology, which offers full-duplex connectivity across Ku and Ka bands using a single panel.

ONR's interest in Kymeta's KuKu technology aligns with the goals of its Communications and Networking Program, supporting the Navy's information warfare vision by enhancing connectivity and quality of service for critical information exchange among dispersed naval, joint, and coalition forces. High-performance antennas are seen as crucial enablers for distributed maritime operations, particularly for tactical platforms or unmanned systems with size, weight, and power constraints.

Bascom Hunter has provided Kymeta with a purchase order for the first prototype terminal featuring the KuKu technology. This agreement represents a transition from development to a full-scale prototype. Kymeta will deliver the first single-antenna, multi-band, multi-orbit SATCOM terminal for testing and evaluation starting in Q2 2026, as part of their existing relationship with the U.S. Navy.

The terminal, developed under the name Kymeta KuKa 8 Series, is a next-generation electronically steered user terminal boasting the highest capability density of any SATCOM antenna. It enables simultaneous operation across both Ku and Ka frequency bands within a single, compact, low-profile flat panel. This will facilitate pathway diversity across proliferated LEO and hybrid architectures, integrating GEO, MEO, LEO, and HEO, along with other WAN connections dynamically, without the typical size, weight, power, and complexity challenges associated with traditional multi-antenna solutions.