Kymeta Government & Defence has secured a three-year contract with the US Office for Naval Research (ONR) to advance its multi-band, multi-beam antenna technology.
The contract aims to “mature and expedite” the research of Kymeta’s multi-band connectivity solution, which supports four concurrent full-duplex beams in the Ku- and Ka-band frequencies using a single antenna aperture.
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Initially demonstrated in April 2025, the multi-beam antenna system, has been presented to a range of US Department of War departments and agencies.
ONR is focusing on the Kymeta KuKa platform as part of the C5ISRT Department’s Communications and Networking Programme (ONR 31), which aims to enhance end-to-end connectivity and support mission-critical communications for naval and joint forces distributed across different environments.
Tactical and uncrewed platforms operating within size, weight, and power constraints stand to benefit from improved connectivity enabled by advanced antenna arrays.
Baseline development is moving towards the creation of a full-scale prototype after Bascom Hunter placed a purchase order for the first terminal equipped with the KuKa technology.
Bascom Hunter, which specialises in communications electronics and signal processing for defence, will facilitate prototype testing and evaluation beginning in the second quarter of 2026, under its ongoing relationship with the US Navy.
The new antenna system, identified as the Kymeta KuKa 8 Series during development, provides simultaneous operation across Ku and Ka frequency bands through a singular low-profile flat-panel unit.
Integrated with Bascom Hunter’s software-defined modem and 3U VPX plug-in card modules, the terminal will support operations across GEO, MEO, LEO, and HEO satellite constellations as well as other wide area networks, meeting Navy requirements for resilient, multi-orbit communications.
The shared aperture design developed by Kymeta enables the entire antenna surface to be used across multiple bands, which the company says results in improved RF efficiency, narrower beams, and reduced power consumption compared to conventional multi-panel satellite antenna approaches.
The prototype is scheduled for evaluation on various commercial and defence satellite networks to determine its effectiveness in supporting multi-orbit, multi-band operations.
Kymeta programmes and strategy senior director Matthew Sieber said: “True SATCOM resilience is provided by network diversity rather than dependence on a single network. ONR recognises 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.”
Bascom Hunter is tasked with delivering flexible, threat-resistant SATCOM solutions for the programme assessment. Its system aims to improve military satellite communication resilience through features such as anti-jamming capabilities, beyond-line-of-sight links, and multi-path communications utilising various satellite constellations.
Kymeta’s recent progress follows its selection as the multi-orbit SATCOM provider for the US Army’s Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) Pilot in the third quarter of 2025.
The company plans to continue deploying KuKa terminals in 2026, targeting defence applications as well as commercial sectors such as maritime, transport, and emergency response.
