Can Small LEO Terminals Meet Military Needs?
Sep 13, 2025
The military satellite communications market is experiencing high growth as defense contractors are developing special terminals for Low-Earth Orbit networks. While Kymeta has previously built a presence in the military grade terminal sector, Intellian Technologies has now thrown their hat into the ring with their own solution that has been specifically designed for Eutelsat’s OneWeb network. Both companies are addressing the demand for next-generation LEO capabilities in the larger military satellite communications arena as the defense industries of the world invest heavily in secure, diverse, and resilient connectivity solutions.
Intellian manpack terminal. Credit: Intellian
Intellian Technologies announced that their ultra-portable military grade manpack terminal is a cornerstone of the company’s growth strategy in the government sector for the global military antenna market. The terminal has been specifically developed in partnership with Eutelsat to increase the range of user terminals for OneWeb that will be available to defense customers. Eric Sung, CEO of Intellian Technologies, explained that their military-grade manpack meets the rapidly evolving requirements of defense users for resilient OneWeb Low-Earth Orbit connectivity, and represents a critical addition to their portfolio of OneWeb solutions for maritime, fixed land and land mobility applications. The Intellian manpack terminal has a small and light design that is optimized to fit in standard military rucksacks for quick deployments. Engineers have built in one-touch network acquisition capabilities that allow an immediate operational readiness upon deployment. The system has been specifically optimized for low power consumption so it’s suitable for extended field operations where power resources may be limited.
Meanwhile, Kymeta’s established presence in the military terminal market continues with their Goshawk u8 flat-panel terminal, which Eutelsat OneWeb announced as available to customers in May. Rick Bergman, president and CEO of Kymeta, stressed that in the current battleground, where battles are fought, the ability to move, adapt, and fight without losing connectivity is non-negotiable, and said that the Goshawk u8 provides defense forces with the freedom to operate across orbits with resilience and certainty even under pressure. The terminal offers what Kymeta calls a ‘plug-and-play’ solution that’s designed to be used on a wide range of platforms, such as land vehicles, maritime vessels and fixed installations.
Both terminals represent different approaches to address the critical defense communication requirements, with Intellian being more focused on LEO connectivity via OneWeb and Kymeta providing multi-orbit capabilities combining LEO, GEO and cellular connectivity. The Kymeta solution allows for better responsiveness to support maneuver warfare tactics like rapid, focused and unexpected actions which aim to shatter enemy cohesion. These developments reflect the awareness of the defense industry that modern military operations demand flexible, robust communication systems that can keep communications up through a variety of operating environments and difficult battlefield conditions. As military forces have an ever-increasing need for real-time data and coordination capabilities, both solutions address the critical need for uninterrupted communications that are able to adapt to rapidly changing operational requirements and ensure mission success across multiple domains of warfare while supporting evolving tactical operations and emerging security challenges in the modern threat landscape.
