United States Air Force Awards Viasat a Sole-Source Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity Contract Worth Up to $90 Million to Expand Tactical Data Networking Capabilities

IDIQ Contract Covers Viasat’s BATS-D Device—the World’s First and Only Handheld Link 16 Radio for Real-Time Fused Air/Ground Military Communications

Viasat Inc. announced it was recently awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract worth a maximum ceiling of $90 million, to provide special warfare operators of the United States Air Force (USAF) with Viasat’s Battlefield Awareness Targeting System—Dismounted (BATS-D) handheld Link 16 radios (also known in the U.S. Department of Defense nomenclature as the AN/PRC-161 radio). In addition to equipment, the IDIQ award covers associated operator training and maintenance.

BATS-D is the world’s first and only handheld Link 16 radio. It bridges a critical gap between air and ground forces by providing warfighters at the tactical edge with real-time, secure, reliable access to integrated air and ground information for improved situational awareness and enhanced close air support communications.

“This IDIQ award demonstrates the value of the AN/PRC-161 handheld Link 16 radio for the unique mission requirements of today’s USAF operators,” said Ken Peterman, president, Government Systems, Viasat. “Today, nearly 2,500 AN/PRC-161 BATS-D radios have been shipped to U.S. warfighters worldwide, and we continue to see strong demand for its use across multiple military branches, and among coalition partners as it has the proven ability to significantly enhance situational awareness, improve mission coordination and accelerate decision timelines in a multi-domain battlespace.”