Satellite Communications for the Army’s NGC2 Pilot

October 15, 2025

Soldiers leverage Kymeta’s satellite communications technology during Project Convergence-Capstone 4. (Image: DVIDShub.net)

Kymeta Corporation has been selected as a multi-orbit satellite communications (SATCOM) capability provider for the Army’s Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) Pilot with the Osprey^TM u8 terminal.

Selected for its battle-proven capabilities and easy-to-use features, Kymeta terminals offer full-duplex data transport, meaning they can receive and transmit from a single aperture. The Osprey u8 provides multi-orbit connectivity across both geostationary orbit (GEO) and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, featuring a modular, cartridge-based system designed for rapid adaptation to evolving mission profiles. By supporting multiple data pathways, including commercial and government networks, the terminal minimizes dependency on any single source, prioritizing secure interoperability and operational continuity, even in degraded or contested conditions, making it a valuable asset for mission-critical applications.

The U.S. Army’s NGC2 pilot underscores the importance for dispersed teams to stay mobile in increasingly data-centric operations. Kymeta’s unique technology based on metamaterials and software-defined features, such as proprietary pointing and tracking, enables superior performance and efficiency for communications on-the-move (COTM) and over the horizon, increasing the ability for forces to maneuver and remain survivable on the battlefield.

Another critical advantage of Kymeta’s cutting-edge technology is its significantly lower power consumption compared to similar solutions across the industry. This makes it a perfect platform for COTM and contributes to its reduced thermal signature relative to competing technologies. This reduced thermal output combined with other Low Probability of Detection and Intercept (LPD/LPI) features, such as low profile and narrower beamwidth, allow the Osprey u8 to become less detectable when operating in hostile environments.

Tom Jackson, EVP Kymeta, Chief Revenue Officer and retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel, said that Kymeta’s technological advantages over competitor terminals is derived from its metamaterials-based architecture.

“These advantages are rooted in our metamaterials-based architecture, which enables us to create terminals that use less power than others on the market. Other terminal manufacturers can try to engineer around this, but they can’t replicate the technology that sits at the core of our product line,” Jackson said. “This approach to manufacturing is the exact type of innovation the U.S. Army is looking for when it seeks new technologies from the commercial market to integrate into its existing capabilities. which enables us to create terminals that use less power than others on the market. Other terminal manufacturers can try to engineer around this, but they can’t replicate the technology that sits at the core of our product line. This approach to manufacturing is the exact type of innovation the U.S. Army is looking for when it seeks new technologies from the commercial market to integrate into its existing capabilities.”

“My experiences in the military equipped me with a crystal-clear perspective on how critical resilient, secure communications are to mission success,” Jackson added. “When operating in unpredictable, high-stakes environments, modern units can’t afford downtime, complexity, or systems that give away their position. This move from the U.S. Army is a clear indication that they recognize that network resiliency is no longer a nice-to-have, it is an absolute necessity.”

U.S. Army assessments including ‘Armored Formation Network On The Move,’ ‘Network Modernization Experiment (NETMODX),’ and ‘Project Convergence Capstone’ were critical in informing their decision to select Kymeta’s technology.