Nuvotronics, a business within Cubic's mission and performance solutions segment, has received a contract from the U.S. Army to produce a surrogate payload that could substitute for a satellite communication in satcom-denied scenarios.
Under the $5 million contract, the company will develop a high-altitude balloon payload that could enable contingency communications and support Wideband Global Satellites surrogate operations during electronic or kinetic attacks, Cubic said Tuesday.
The HAB payload is meant to deliver beyond-line-of-sight communications to brigade-, battalion-, company- and division-level forces when satellite connectivity has been compromised.
Nuvotronics will produce the payload via the PolyStrata additive manufacturing process, which allows for the production of radio frequency component size reductions. The process is also designed to boost the radio frequency performance of these components.
The Command, Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center and Space and Terrestrial Communications Directorate within Army Combat Capabilities Development Command will receive and use the payload.