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Viasat Announces NEXCOM Connectivity Contract Extension, Plans Network Upgrades Across Navy Bases

Viasat Extends NEXCOM Partnership to Enhance Navy Base Networks Nationwide 2026

In a significant move that reinforces its role in military communications modernization, Viasat has announced a contract extension with the U.S. Navy’s Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM). This renewed agreement deepens Viasat’s long-standing collaboration with NEXCOM, underscoring the company's dedication to delivering secure, high-capacity connectivity solutions across key naval installations.

By extending this high-impact partnership, Viasat is positioned to accelerate network infrastructure upgrades across multiple U.S. Navy bases—supporting mission readiness and improving communications for service members and their families. This development holds strategic weight for the Navy’s broader telecommunications environment, tightly linking digital transformation efforts with operational resilience.

What will these enhancements mean for government services, defense capabilities, and the evolution of the military communications landscape? Let’s examine the implications of this contract extension and the planned innovations Viasat is set to deliver.

Strengthening the Digital Backbone: Viasat’s Legacy in Government Partnerships

Overview of Viasat

Viasat, headquartered in Carlsbad, California, operates as a global communications company specializing in satellite broadband, military-grade cybersecurity systems, and advanced network services. Its scalable connectivity solutions power operations across commercial, residential, and defense markets. With presence in over 25 countries and a footprint stretching from geostationary orbit to the edge of contested battlefields, Viasat delivers communication capabilities where terrestrial networks fall short.

Military Innovation at the Core

Viasat’s relationship with the U.S. government extends back more than three decades. Since the 1990s, the company has supported defense modernization initiatives by engineering secure satellite communications and tactical data links tailored for dynamic environments. It has consistently developed tools to boost mission-critical connectivity across land, air, sea, and cyber domains.

The backbone of this partnership involves Link 16 radios, mobile SATCOM systems like the Viasat Global Mobile Platform, and secure IP-based encryption tools. These technologies enable operational resilience across distributed military networks, strengthening command and control continuity in real-time missions.

A Trusted Provider of Secure Networks

Viasat supports both classified and unclassified communications for federal and defense agencies. Its encryption capabilities meet NSA Type 1 standards, and its high-assurance SATCOM platforms support everything from tactical edge communications to global cloud-based operations. This depth of service positions Viasat as a dependable partner for combatant commands, intelligence agencies, and federal civilian departments requiring end-to-end cyber-secure connectivity.

Operational Experience in Managed Defense Services

The company’s managed network services integrate terrestrial and satellite assets to deliver always-on connectivity in hard-to-reach locations. Working under programs like the U.S. Special Operations Command’s Global Access Program and the Defense Innovation Unit’s agile procurement efforts, Viasat applies commercial speed-of-delivery to mission requirements historically slowed by government bureaucracy.

Driving Digital Transformation Across Federal Landscapes

In recent years, federal agencies—particularly within the Department of Defense—have transitioned from legacy communications systems to cloud-native, software-defined networks. Viasat’s modular network architecture supports that transformation through growing constellations of high-capacity satellites and edge-based encryption solutions. These assets allow branches like the Navy, Air Force, and Army to adopt full-spectrum information dominance strategies across distributed forces.

Collaborations That Shaped Capability Evolution

These collaborations formed the foundation for deeper integration with the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) as part of current contract extensions and base upgrades.

Inside the NEXCOM Contract Extension: What It Means for Navy Connectivity

What Is NEXCOM and Why It Matters

The Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) operates as a vital lifeline for millions of active-duty Sailors, reservists, retirees, and their families. With responsibilities ranging from managing Navy Exchanges around the globe to overseeing telecommunications services aboard installations, NEXCOM ensures everyday quality-of-life services are efficient, resilient, and accessible.

Through NEXCOM Telecommunications Program Office (NTPO), the command also manages enterprise-level communications infrastructure—critical not just for morale but also for operational readiness. Viasat’s continued engagement directly supports these objectives.

The Value Behind the Contract Extension

The latest contract extension signals more than just business continuity; it underscores a strategic relationship that aligns with the Navy’s overarching digital modernization efforts. This extension enables Viasat to deliver robust, scalable internet and voice connectivity solutions across domestic and international Navy installations, ensuring full-service support for military personnel and their everyday digital needs.

The scope of the extension spans a multi-year term—extending beyond 2025—and reinforces shared priorities such as secure bandwidth provisioning, enterprise cybersecurity compliance, and next-gen network architecture deployment.

Advancing Strategic Connectivity Objectives

Alignment With U.S. Navy Digital Missions

This contract extension positions Viasat as a key technology enabler in the Navy’s push toward digital supremacy. By equipping installations with cutting-edge connectivity tools, the partnership facilitates secure remote access, supports digital training platforms, and ensures operational continuity—even in bandwidth-constrained environments.

Each planned upgrade reinforces a communications environment capable of scaling with operational tempo. Whether it’s supporting a Sailor placing a call home or enabling command centers to execute real-time operations, the contract guarantees uninterrupted, mission-aligned network service.

Transforming Communications: Viasat Enhances Military Connectivity Across Navy Installations

Strategic Network Upgrades to Support Mission Readiness

Viasat’s planned upgrades under the extended NEXCOM contract signal a tangible push toward digitizing defense infrastructure. The initiative encompasses a wide rollout of enhanced broadband solutions, bringing high-speed internet to major U.S. Navy installations. Coverage spans bases located across the continental United States and stretches to critical forward-deployed outposts worldwide.

Technological Advancements Driving the Upgrades

Advanced satellite communication systems anchor the upgrade strategy. These systems will integrate higher-capacity satellites and more robust ground infrastructure, vastly improving bandwidth availability and signal resilience. Viasat plans to roll out next-generation terminals with adaptive networking capabilities designed for dynamic operational environments.

Broadband Infrastructure Built for Operational Agility

New backbone fiber extensions, high-capacity Wi-Fi access points, and secure gateway architectures are slated for installation. Each element has been selected to meet the escalating digital demands of modern naval operations, including data-heavy video conferencing, real-time logistics coordination, and cloud-based application use.

Selected Base Locations for Modernization

Enabling Superior Access for Service Members

With the upgraded network backbone, Navy personnel will experience faster and more secure internet connections not just for mission operations, but across daily administrative functions. This includes smoother system logins, faster data transfers, and more reliable video conferencing during transcontinental deployments.

Strengthening Force Resilience Through Digital Services

Upgraded connectivity directly supports telehealth appointments, remote education programs, and high-quality streaming content as part of morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) provisions. These enhancements contribute to personal development, emotional well-being, and family engagement, especially for sailors stationed at isolated commands.

Reinforcing the Battlefield Network: Satellite Communication as a Strategic Asset

Satellite Technology: A Pillar of Modern Military Communications

In defense operations, field connectivity must remain uninterrupted under hostile, unpredictable, and remote conditions. Satellite communication delivers the resilience needed where terrestrial infrastructure cannot. Whether in the middle of the Pacific or the high Arctic latitudes, secure and continuous data transmission relies on orbital networks. The U.S. military uses satellite communications to maintain command and control, enable ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance), and provide real-time collaboration across global theaters.

Overcoming Terrestrial Limitations with Orbital Reach

Combat zones and natural disaster areas often lack reliable ground-based networks. Fiber-optic cables and cellular towers have coverage limits and susceptibility to damage. Satellite links bypass those constraints. They offer wide-area coverage, fast deployment, and consistent performance in GPS-denied and EM-contested environments. Mobile units, surface fleets, and expeditionary forces all depend on these space-based assets to transmit mission-critical information without delay or degradation.

Inside Viasat’s Current Fleet and Its Strategic Roadmap

Viasat operates a hybrid constellation that supports the Department of Defense with high-capacity, low-latency bandwidth. The ViaSat-2 satellite, currently in operation, offers roughly 260 Gbps of total network capacity, with a coverage map extending across North America, the Caribbean, and parts of Europe and the Middle East. Looking ahead, the ViaSat-3 global constellation aims to deliver near-global coverage with over 1 Tbps of throughput per satellite. Once fully deployed, ViaSat-3 will allow warfighters to access cloud-native technologies and AI-powered tools even in remote operational theaters.

Seamless Integration with Defense Digital Infrastructure

The Department of Defense prioritizes secure, interoperable, and scalable communications architectures. Viasat’s satellite services are closely integrated with defense networks through compatibility with Link 16, Integrated Waveform (IW), and SATCOM-On-The-Move (SOTM) systems. These interfaces allow for dynamic routing, encrypted mobile communications, and resilient backup during cyber incidents or physical sabotage of terrestrial assets. The integration extends to tactical data links, shipborne C5ISR systems, and joint domain command centers.

Supporting Current and Future Defense Platforms

Satellite communication must evolve alongside defense assets across land, sea, air, and space. Viasat tailors its connectivity offerings to platforms such as unmanned aerial systems (UAS), expeditionary mobile command nodes, and 5th-gen stealth aircraft. Advanced SDR (software-defined radio) technology and adaptive networking protocols ensure that legacy terminals and next-gen systems remain interoperable under a single service umbrella. The upcoming wave of low-earth orbit solutions—combined with geostationary support—will further expand the agility and redundancy available to U.S. forces worldwide.

Accelerating Military Modernization: How Defense Contracts Drive Digital Transformation

Fueling a Tech-Forward Shift in Defense Operations

Defense contracts like the one between Viasat and the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) go far beyond equipment procurement. They actively drive end-to-end modernization across military IT ecosystems. With each contract extension and infrastructure upgrade, agencies integrate next-generation technologies, automate systems, and scale digital infrastructure for global operations.

The NEXCOM connectivity contract forms a critical part of this evolution. It doesn't merely fund communication services—it funds a comprehensive overhaul of how Navy installations connect, protect, and operate information systems in the field and at home.

Government Strategy: Securing Communications and Digital Footprints

Across departments, federal agencies are intensifying efforts to secure digital assets. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has prioritized cybersecurity modernization as outlined in its Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) strategy. This includes seamless multi-domain data sharing with resilient, secure communications infrastructure at its core.

Contracts with companies like Viasat align directly with these priorities, ensuring not only coverage and speed but full-spectrum data protection. Managed networks, air-gapped systems, and mission-specific encryption architectures become standardized elements, embedded into every deployed connectivity platform.

Cybersecurity Gains and Battle-Ready Infrastructure

Upgraded defense IT networks bolster more than just bandwidth—they enhance resilience against cyber threats. Each contract cycle integrates the latest intrusion detection protocols, endpoint encryption, and threat intelligence, all aligned with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) cybersecurity framework. Result: better situational awareness and faster threat response times.

With Viasat managing core elements of the military’s digital perimeter, real-time encrypted communication between installations, units, and commands becomes less susceptible to interference. This directly accelerates defensive posturing and deployment agility across operational theaters.

Encryption and Network Management as Force Multipliers

Systems managed under defense contracts also support zero-trust architectures, where continuous authentication and access control mechanisms limit exposure even after network access is granted.

Ultimately, every line item in a modern defense communication contract plays into a broader national strategy—to build a digitally fortified, cyber-aware military infrastructure that operates at the speed of conflict.

Broadband Infrastructure Expansion Across Navy Installations

Extending Connectivity Beyond the Flight Line

Viasat’s extended contract with the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) will significantly upgrade broadband infrastructure across installations. These improvements extend far beyond tactical command centers. They directly shape the quality of life on base, strengthen operational efficiency for commercial tenants, and redefine digital access for military families, contractors, and small businesses operating within base perimeters.

Broader Access for Civilian and Military Communities

Broadband expansion under the NEXCOM contract isn't limited to mission-critical communication. It enables extended high-speed access at commissaries, housing units, recreational facilities, and educational centers—bridging the civilian-military digital divide. Service members and their families gain faster media streaming, universal access to telehealth services, uninterrupted distance learning, and fluid communication with loved ones. Faster, more stable connections align base life with modern digital consumer standards.

Support for Navy Families and On-Base Residents

Military families often face challenges related to mobility and limited access to standard infrastructure. Viasat’s broadband upgrades change this paradigm. Base housing communities will benefit from dedicated high-speed networks designed to support an always-connected lifestyle. Multi-device households can manage remote work, e-learning, and entertainment without compromising performance. For dependents studying remotely or spouses engaged in telecommuting, latency interruptions and bandwidth limitations are no longer a concern under the upgraded network protocols.

Empowering Commercial Tenants and Contractors

The contract extension directly impacts the productivity of on-base commercial tenants, ranging from franchise operators at Navy Exchange outlets to logistics companies embedded on installations. Upgraded network performance supports real-time inventory management, improved cybersecurity protocols, and scalable cloud services. Independent contractors leveraging Navy facilities for technical development or operational support gain access to streamlined connectivity pipelines, enabling smoother project execution and secure partner collaboration.

Security and Seamless Network Management

Every broadband access point under this initiative will be managed using Viasat’s pre-defined cybersecurity parameters. The infrastructure will integrate secure, seamless switching between networks, ensuring uninterrupted service across zones of variable security clearance. Viasat’s existing clearance for handling classified traffic allows for a uniform management protocol—civilian zones and restricted military sectors both benefit from a consistent standard of performance and risk mitigation. Network integrity will be monitored through a centralized system architecture capable of dynamic reconfiguration to optimize bandwidth distribution where demand spikes.

Expanding Horizons: Long-Term Impacts on Government Services and Commercial Opportunities

Strengthening the Backbone of National Defense Communications

Viasat’s extended partnership through the NEXCOM connectivity contract builds durability and scale into the U.S. Navy’s digital infrastructure. Direct support for the Navy’s intranet and base networks brings secure, high-throughput connectivity to hundreds of thousands of personnel. This architecture doesn’t just connect naval bases—it embeds resilience and operational continuity into command structures that rely on uninterrupted data exchange.

Distributed naval operations, maritime logistics coordination, advanced training simulations, and remote mission support all depend on a communication backbone with low latency and top-tier security protocols. With Viasat’s infrastructure imprint growing steadily across installations, that backbone becomes more redundant, responsive, and capable of handling multi-domain operations.

Opening Doors to Integrated Defense System Contracts

The scope and scale of the NEXCOM extension suggest a runway for Viasat to deepen its role across other branches of military and federal operations. Integrated logistics platforms, battlefield network services, and mission-critical ground station support represent lucrative verticals that build directly on the competencies demonstrated in the Navy partnership.

Departments monitoring infrastructure performance and determining contract expansion eligibility already have measurable benchmarks thanks to this Navy implementation. Continued performance against security protocols such as DISA STIG compliance and SATCOM interoperability standards like MIL-STD-188–165A will accelerate Viasat's positioning for broader defense procurement bids.

Alignment with Modernization Directives from the Department of Defense

The Pentagon’s Digital Modernization Strategy prioritizes four pillars: innovation, cybersecurity, AI adoption, and cloud enablement. Viasat's broadband upgrades across Navy bases align with all four. Unified base-wide connectivity underpins secure data movement to cloud-native environments and enables edge computing at strategic points.

Moreover, the ability to integrate commercial SATCOM assets into defense-grade architecture supports Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) objectives—providing shared situational awareness across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains.

Inter-agency Collaboration and Crossover into Civilian Government Services

High-assurance connectivity solutions, piloted at scale across Navy installations, create inter-agency opportunities for Viasat. Federal entities with distributed workforces—like the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, and the Department of the Interior—require comms systems that function under lockdown, disaster response, or field-deployed conditions.

The architecture supporting Navy bases can translate into mobile command centers, emergency operations networks, or remote scientific research connectivity. Through either direct federal contracting or General Services Administration (GSA) schedules, expansion into adjacent agency programs is a practical next step.

When modular communication systems prove themselves under military-grade requirements, civilian agencies naturally integrate similar solutions to increase their operational efficiency and security posture.

A Strategic Benchmark in Military Connectivity

The extension of the NEXCOM connectivity contract marks a pivotal step in reinforcing the digital backbone of the U.S. Navy’s shore-based operations. This renewed partnership between Viasat and the Navy doesn't just extend services—it deepens integration, expands infrastructure, and sets a new standard for what connected defense environments can achieve.

Through this extension, the Navy gains an upgraded network architecture designed for both scalability and security. Viasat’s capabilities, drawn from decades of work across commercial and defense communication technologies, now directly support operational continuity, personnel welfare, and emerging mission requirements.

Enhanced connectivity infrastructure across Navy installations strengthens resilience. It allows bases to operate with greater agility, coordinate in real time, and maintain uninterrupted services during surge conditions. These improvements feed directly into strategic readiness, ensuring command and control systems remain robust under pressure.

Viasat’s evolving role in military technology demonstrates the fusion of commercial innovation and defense priorities. As satellite internet expands to more austere or remote military sites, and edge networking becomes essential for mission-critical data exchange, Viasat now sits at the intersection of tactical need and technical capability.

Looking forward, the trajectory is unmistakable. Increased bandwidth, hardened cyber defense, software-defined networks, and integrated command platforms are driving toward a new era of military communications. Viasat’s collaborative model with government agencies paves the way for adaptive, resilient, and global defense connectivity systems.