Lite Coms to supply satcom terminals for Australian C4 programme

Lite Coms' Lite Sat 1.3A satellite communications terminal (pictured) has been selected for Australia's Land 4140 programme to enhance the Australian Army's C4 capabilities. (Lite Coms)

US-based satellite communications (satcom) company Lite Coms will supply its satcom terminals to Boeing Defence Australia in support of the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) Land 4140 programme.

Rich Steixner, director of Program Management at Lite Coms, told Janes on 22 September that the company will supply more than 100 units of its Lite Sat 1.3A terminals for Land 4140, which seeks to enhance the Australian Army's ground command, control, communications, and computers (C4) capabilities.

The DoD selected Boeing Defence Australia as the programme's systems integrator in June.

Steixner said Lite Coms has begun shipping “engineering and early, low-rate production units”, with the first batch of terminals scheduled for delivery by the end of 2027.

He added that Lite Sat 1.3A can deliver low-latency, secure beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) connectivity for mission-critical operations. He said the terminal is designed for rapid deployment, combining tool-free assembly with automated satellite acquisition to establish a secure link in less than 10 minutes.

The terminal features a lightweight carbon-fibre reflector and is engineered to MIL-STD-810 and MIL-STD-461 standards, enabling operation in harsh environmental conditions, including extreme temperatures and high winds, he said.

Operators can monitor terminal performance in real-time through Lite Coms' web-based Lite Link interface. Steixner added that the Lite Sat 1.3A features a modem-agnostic architecture and supports the company's Tactical Modem Assemblies (TMAs), enabling integration with a range of communications networks.

According to company specifications, Lite Sat 1.3A incorporates a 1.3 m antenna and supports communications across X-, Ku-, and Ka-band networks.