[Avionics Today 11-18-2015] ViaSat and Jet Aviation St. Louis are partnering to develop a hybrid Ku-/Ka-band radome for Gulfstream’s large cabin business jets, starting with the Gulfstream G550. The agreement covers collaboration on both the new dual-band radome and associated Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) to ensure Gulfstream aircraft equipped with the new hybrid system can access the satellite-based in-cabin Internet system.
The agreement leverages ViaSat’s ability to deliver connectivity equipment and service to the aviation market and Jet Aviation’s ability to install satellite systems and associated in-cabin networks. ViaSat has already developed and deployed a fuselage-mounted hybrid Ku-/Ka-band radome to the commercial and government aviation markets based on its fuselage-mounted Ka-band and Ku-/Ka-bands shipsets. ViaSat, in working with Jet Aviation St. Louis, will expand its advanced aviation materials and fabrication IP to build this tail-mounted Ku-/Ka-band radome. The radome will support both ViaSat’s 30 cm Ku-band antenna and its advanced Ka-band antenna separately or in a dual configuration.