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L3Harris Technologies’ Darkwing Terminal Certified to Operate on Inmarsat’s Global Xpress Network
January 28, 2021 | InmarsatEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
L3Harris Technologies’ DarkWing™ terminal has received Category 1 and Category 4 approval to operate on Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) network in both commercial and military Ka (Mil Ka) globally.
DarkWing is a new addition to the GX family of terminals that combines a small form factor and lightweight flat-panel to produce a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) providing high-speed data communications for Internet, virtual private network (VPN) connectivity and video transmission. A worldwide GX subscriptions plan offers data rates up to 6Mbps x 3Mbps. Higher-speed communications are available to government customers on the GX SATCOM as a Service network up to 59Mbps x 7.5Mbps globally, and up to 90Mbps x 30Mbps using Inmarsat military Ka steerable antennas.
This ruggedized terminal solution is designed to fit in a backpack or laptop-sized case for ease of transport, ideal for small teams, VIPs or sensitive missions. Time from setup to operational use is less than five minutes, achieved through integration of the modem, radio frequency (RF) components and antenna into a single assembly, representing a significant setup time reduction over competing products.
DarkWing acquires GX satellites through a simplified manual pointing process featuring the L3Harris ViewSat-e Graphical User Interface (GUI). The flat-panel VSAT employs its built-in GPS and compass to quickly provide operators a pointing solution and visual indicators for pointing adjustments via a user-friendly front panel display.
“Expanding the global opportunities for our DarkWing terminal provides customers the capability to connect to the Inmarsat Global Xpress very high-throughput satellite system using a small, compact terminal anywhere in the world at any time,” said Jerry Adams, General Manager, SATCOM Products, L3Harris.
Steve Gizinski, President, Inmarsat Government, said: “The DarkWing terminal is a great addition to our Global Xpress terminal portfolio. This terminal enables high-speed connectivity with BGAN-style ease of use. When combined with Inmarsat’s Global Xpress service, this lightweight, flat-panel, ruggedized solution provides land expeditionary users highly reliable, always-available connectivity worldwide.”
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