Honeywell announced it has received certification to operate its JetWave MCX Ka-band Satcom terminal on the Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) network used by the United States military. The WGS certification means operators using the Honeywell JetWave MCX terminal have a new option when provisioning services for their terminal.
Inmarsat’s commercial Global Xpress and High-Capacity Cross Strap (HCX) military Ka beams will continue to be available for JetWave MCX users as well. But now operators in WGS-participating countries can switch between WGS and other networks. For military and government customers, the ability to use WGS will support critical mission needs. The addition of the WGS network capability also demonstrates Honeywell’s commitment to a terminal able to work on multiple networks, allowing operators to select the network or networks that best meet their operational needs. Additional network certifications are also planned in the future.
Honeywell’s JetWave MCX satellite communications system delivers advanced high-speed Satcom capabilities needed for the most demanding mission profiles. It enables global in-flight broadband data connectivity on many Ka-band networks — including Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) network, WGS, and other commercial and military Ka-band networks — for the most extensive global coverage.
“The WGS certification process is highly demanding and rigorous, which makes it one of the most challenging certifications for any Satcom manufacturer,” said Steve Hadden, vice president, Services & Connectivity, Honeywell Aerospace. “Now operators using Honeywell’s JetWave MCX terminal will have access to an additional high-capacity Satcom network — WGS. The WGS certification further addresses operators’ sensitivity to operating expenses post-installation since the capability for interface to additional networks should contribute to lower operating expenses over the life of the terminal.”
WGS is a high-capacity United States Space Force Satcom system used in partnership among the defense departments of the U.S., Canada, and Australia. Honeywell worked cooperatively with the ARSTRAT agency over several months to secure the certification. The WGS network is available to military operators using WGS-certified terminals in the nine countries participating in the WGS consortium: Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, The Netherlands, and United States.
Honeywell says JetWave MCX terminal is suited to meet the communication needs of high-speed broadband airborne operators. For the requirements of military and government operators, JetWave MCX can enable a wide variety of mission-critical applications, such as en route mission communications, inflight threat updates, inflight mission planning and teleconferencing, ISR video and data transmission, and secure communications.