Gilat Defense, AWS, and Partners Demo Virtualized SATCOM Gateway at Satellite 2026

Event summary

  • Gilat Defense, AWS, SES Space & Defense, and WAVE Consortium will demonstrate a virtualized satellite modem operating over cloud infrastructure at Satellite 2026 (March 23-26, 2026).
  • The demo features an FPGA-accelerated virtualized modem on AWS cloud infrastructure paired with a Gilat Aquarius Pro DS modem.
  • The architecture leverages DIFI-compliant interfaces and AWS GenAI capabilities, aligning with the WAVE Consortium's open architecture standards.
  • The virtualized modem functionality aims to enhance flexibility, scalability, and adaptability for defense and government SATCOM networks.

The big picture

The demonstration underscores a broader industry shift toward software-defined satellite communications, enabling defense organizations to deploy new capabilities via software updates rather than hardware replacements. This trend aligns with the growing emphasis on open architecture and cloud integration in defense communications, potentially reducing long-term costs and increasing operational flexibility. The collaboration between Gilat Defense, AWS, SES Space & Defense, and the WAVE Consortium highlights the strategic importance of partnerships in advancing these technologies.

What we're watching

Adoption Pace
How quickly defense organizations will transition from hardware-dependent to software-defined SATCOM architectures.
Interoperability
Whether the WAVE Consortium's open architecture standards will drive broader multi-vendor interoperability in the SATCOM sector.
Cloud Integration
The extent to which cloud infrastructure will become a standard component of defense SATCOM networks.