Cubic wins contract from SOCOM for satellite and baseband communications

Cubic Corporation announced this week that its Cubic Mission Solutions (CMS) business division was awarded a follow-on, single-award contract from United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The contract is for delivery of Ground Antenna Transmit and Receive (GATR) inflatable satellite communications (SATCOM) terminals and baseband communications equipment in support of Special Operations Forces (SOF) communications requirements. The contract has a ceiling of $172 million.

“Cubic is an established and trusted partner for USSOCOM, providing SOF with leading-edge capabilities that support our customer’s expeditionary and tactical needs,” Mike Twyman, the president of Cubic Missions Solutions, said. “We are proud to continue our partnership with USSOCOM; this strategic opportunity allows us to continue providing reliable solutions for SOF missions in remote and forward-deployed situations.”

The contract consists of five one-year ordering periods for the procurement of Cubic’s 1.2-meter and 2.4-meter GATR inflatable satellite communications terminals.

Cubic’s technology not only enables the movement of data, but it also allows for the pre-processing of data and rapid sharing of the processed information. This is essential to the Hyper Enabled Operator and allows for more informed and timely decision making.

GATR satellite systems are inflatable and deploy quickly, enabling bandwidth satellite communications, wherever and whenever. GATR terminals will reduce the Marine Expeditionary Unit satellite communications loadout from 25,000 pounds and 2,600 cubic feet to just 3,000 pounds and 189 cubic feet. The terminal is housed in an inflatable ball. The 2.4-meter antenna and terminal weighs less than 200lbs total and can fit in two portable hard cases. Additionally, this system can be put up in less than 30 mins.

This is not a new technology, however. U.S. and Allied militaries, Homeland Security, and intelligence organizations throughout the world have all used the GATR terminals for data and voice transmissions, along with other IP-enabled activities.

Back in 2015, Cubic Corporation beefed up its portfolios by buying GATR Technologies Inc. and TeraLogics. Cubic for $232.5 million. Cubic has also bought TeraLogics for $39 million. The Virginia-based company specializes in processing, exploitation, and dissemination (PED) particularly analysis and delivery software for real-time full-motion video.

Strategically, Cubic is trying to strengthen its position in communications and intelligence, Bill Toti, president of Cubic Global Defense, told Defense News in 2015.

“We haven’t been in the satellite communications business yet. But it made great sense for us to do so because we’re already in the tactical networking business,” Toti said. GATR’s satellite communications antennas can also be checked as luggage on a flight, instead of needing a truck that requires military transport, Toti added.

With its portfolio now including the world’s most portable and secure satellite antennas, Cubic is revolutionizing the mobile SATCOM industry.