Lite Coms and Comtech terminal-modem configuration achieves certification for SES Space & Defense’s solutions

Lite Coms has announced that its Lite Sat 1.3A terminal, paired with the SES Government Technology Certification (GTC) Type 2-certified Comtech SLM-5650B modem, is now available as a validated remote-terminal configuration for SES O3b mPOWER Sovereign Services and Hybrid Sovereign Gateway architectures. 

Lite Coms' Lite Sat 1.3A is a lightweight, rapidly deployable VSAT terminal engineered for expeditionary and military operations. Designed and manufactured in the United States, it delivers high-performance satellite communications in a compact, airline-checkable package. It enables reliable, high-throughput communications across X-, Ku-, and Ka- band networks, supporting forward-deployed teams, mobile command units, and austere environments.  

When paired with Comtech’s SLM-5650B modem, the certified configuration delivers meaningful advantages for U.S. and coalition forces that rely on advanced connectivity capabilities for today’s all-domain operations. Working in partnership with SES, the GTC Type 2-certified Lite Coms and Comtech solution will help the Department of Defense (DoD) maintain the information advantage needed to enhance mission effectiveness and deter near-peer threats in some of the world’s most challenging operational environments. 

Comtech’s SLM-5650B is a next-generation, software-defined modem widely deployed across U.S. DoD and coalition networks. As a market leading Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) certified modem, the SLM-5650B currently supports multiple critical DoD and NATO waveforms and provides a sovereign, future-ready foundation for multi-orbit SATCOM operations. 

Today’s mission demands reflect a broader customer shift toward multi-orbit hybrid architectures. Simultaneously, government and defense customers are demanding greater network sovereignty. They are actively seeking solutions that allow them to own and control critical communications infrastructure, with their preferred ground-segment equipment, rather than relying solely on managed commercial services.   

Purpose-built for these emerging benchmarks for effective SATCOM deployment, the SES certification of the Lite Coms Lite Sat 1.3A terminal and Comtech’s SLM-5650B modem configuration enables:  

• Proven Interoperability with SES Ecosystem: Rapid field-deployment is mission-critical. Instead of evaluating and documenting individual hardware combinations themselves, customers can deploy a pre-engineered, validated solution with demonstrated SES ecosystem interoperability.  

• Streamlined Procurement and Acquisition: Acquisition programs increasingly favor standardized, validated solutions over custom hardware combinations. The remote terminal-modem configuration reduces equipment integration and program risk, simplifies technical evaluation, and provides a clear route to deployment.  

• Secure, High-Throughput MEO Communications: The solution helps customers adopt sovereign Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) communications more efficiently, as military users are increasingly adopting MEO, Low Earth Orbit (LEO), and Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) together to improve resiliency, flexibility and mission assurance.  

“The certification of our Lite Sat 1.3A in this terminal-modem configuration gives our government and military customers a validated, low-risk path to sovereign MEO connectivity through the SES O3b mPOWER ecosystem,” said Robert Jacobson, CEO at Lite Coms. “As network sovereignty becomes a key differentiator in battlefield superiority, we remain focused on delivering interoperable, mission-ready solutions that reduce integration burden, streamline acquisition, and enable customer control of critical communications.” 

“We are honored to work with SES and Lite Coms to deliver critical sovereign SATCOM capabilities to our men and women in uniform,” said Daniel Gizinski, President of Comtech’s Satellite and Space Communications segment. “At Comtech, we’ve spent decades developing and delivering trusted, mission-critical SATCOM solutions to the U.S. DoD and our allies. This certification is a testament to what strong partnerships and shared purpose can accomplish for the customers we serve.” 

By expanding the ecosystem of certified remote terminals available for SES O3b mPOWER Sovereign Services, the validated configuration helps government customers adopt sovereign MEO communications more efficiently, while lowering technical and program risk and providing clear support boundaries through a documented hardware configuration.