The US Navy has awarded a contract worth more than $10m to ViaSat to provide low-volume tactical radio systems that will be used to provide an electronic overview of the battlefield.

Under the contract, the company will deliver the Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) LVT(1), LVT(2), LVT(4) and LVT(11) Low-Volume Terminals, along with Shop Replaceable Units (SRUs) to be used as spares.

MIDS-LVT (MIDS Low Volume Terminal) is part of a tactical radio system that collects data from many sources and displays an electronic overview of the battlefield using secure, high-capacity, jam-resistant, digital data and voice.

The units will support various government platforms and programmes, including the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) programme, the Pocket J programme, and the F/A-18 Hornet and P-3 Orion aircraft.