“Yonder” is the name of the worldwide passenger broadband network being assembled by Californian equipment manufacturer and aspiring service provider ViaSat.
The new branding emerges with the news that the company has added Persian Gulf coverage to the Ku-band satellite network that it is building in collaboration with maritime communications service provider KVH. Earlier this month the partners announced the addition of service to the northern Pacific Ocean, embracing Alaska, the west coasts of Canada and the United States, Hawaii and parts of Asia. The network also covers North America, the North Atlantic and Europe.
ViaSat currently uses its aeronautical capability to support the ARINC SKYLink/Rockwell Collins eXchange service for business aviation, which is operational in about 80 aircraft, mainly long-range Gulfstreams. That fleet passed the milestone of 100,000 flight hours with the service on board in the fourth quarter of last year.
ViaSat revealed last year that while it would continue hosting SKYLink/eXchange on its network, it also intended to act as a service provider in its own right to both business aviation and air transport. Now, in Yonder, carriers mulling over the possibility of offering passenger connectivity on their long-haul operations have another name to consider, along with the Inmarsat community and Ku-band providers Row 44 and Panasonic.
The DoD has changed its structures and is been increasing efforts to facilitate access to loans by companies interested in working with artificial intelligence, advanced materials and semiconductors, biotechnology and quantum science.
India has approved millions of dollars in new military purchases, most of which will go to public sector companies.
The main obstacles to overcoming risks in the region are a lack of a strong cybersecurity culture and inadequate funds to invest in this domain given a widespread Chinese presence in the region.
MBDA is adapting to supply chain pressures as the Russian invasion of Ukraine leads to increased demand for armaments.
Despite the additional funding promised this week, the UK armed forces still look set to face cutbacks, and maintaining international commitments to AUKUS and GCAP may limit the options for other programmes.
This week on the Shephard Defence Podcast, senior naval reporter Harry Lye and military training & simulation reporter Norbert Neumann chat with Professor John Louth.
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