L3Harris to acquire Viasat's tactical data link business, expand JADC2 offerings
NewsOctober 04, 2022
MELBOURNE, Fla. L3Harris Technologies will purchase Viasat’s tactical data link (TDL) business for roughly $1.96 billion, a move L3 Harris officials say enables the company to expand resilient communication and networking capabilities to a larger user base across multiple domains.
According to the news release about the deal, L3Harris will acquire the TDL -- also known as Link 16 -- product line from Viasat’s Government Systems Segment, consisting of Link 16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) platforms and associated terminals, which are installed in more than 20,000 U.S. and allied platforms around the world. Link 16 is integrated on military aircraft, ground vehicles, surface vessels, and operating bases, enabling warfighters across multiple domains to securely share voice and data communications.
L3 Harris, already a prominent prime contractor on JADC2, won a contract in July 2022 to provide the backbone of the Navy’s JADC2 architecture and integrated fires capability. In addition, it is one of several companies chosen by the U.S. Air Force to participate in the Advanced Battle Management System Digital Infrastructure Consortium that is tasked with designing and developing the JADC2 digital backbone for the U.S. Air Force.
