Viasat to begin integration of long-delayed Link 16 military communications satellite
Source: Space News
Published: April 21, 2022
Viasat is rushing to complete the integration of a small communications satellite for the U.S. military that is years behind schedule due to supply chain delays. The satellite is designed to serve as a data relay in space for the network of Link 16 tactical radios used by the U.S. military and allies. The Air Force Research Laboratory awarded Viasat a $10 million contract in 2019 to integrate a cubesat with a Link 16 communications terminal. The original target launch date was in 2020.
Overview of KA-SAT Network Cyber Attack via the Cyber Supply Chain
Viasat is providing an overview and incident report on the cyber-attack against the KA-SAT network, which occurred on 24 February 2022, and resulted in a partial interruption of KA-SAT’s consumer-oriented satellite broadband service.
This incident was localized to a single consumer-oriented partition of the KA-SAT network that is operated on Viasat’s behalf by a Eutelsat subsidiary, Skylogic, under a transition agreement Viasat signed with Eutelsat following Viasat’s purchase of Euro Broadband Infrastructure Sàrl (“EBI”), the wholesale broadband services business created as part of Viasat’s former partnering arrangement with Eutelsat. The residential broadband modems affected use the “Tooway” service brand. This cyber-attack did not impact Viasat’s directly managed mobility or government users on the KA-SAT satellite. Similarly, the cyber-attack did not affect users on other Viasat networks worldwide.
For more, visit KA-SAT Network cyber attack overview | Viasat