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| Dassault has signed a connectivity contract with Viasat for its Falcon 8X. Photo: Dassault |
[Avionics Today 05-24-2016] ViaSat signed a multi-year agreement with Dassault Aviation to deliver a bundled global Ku-band broadband services offering, inclusive of in-cabin network equipment and In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) service. Installation of the system will begin mid-calendar year 2016 on Falcon 8X.
ViaSat will equip the Falcon 8X with the ViaSat Ku-band terminal to provide operators with access to the Internet and corporate network. Viasat will deliver the first aircraft with the system before the end of calendar year 2016.
Dassault Aviation makes available the ViaSat Ku-band service on Falcon 8X aircraft by offering the ViaSat Mobile Terminal 1500 (VMT-1500-C) shipset, which includes a Ku-band antenna, modem and antenna control unit. The cabin network will use a Satcom Direct Router (SDR) provided by ViaSat. The end-to-end system aims to optimize mobile applications, with the ability to grow with future bandwidth demands. First shipset installations are being done in Little Rock Arkansas. Dassault Falcon Services is working on the Standard Type Certificate (STC) for the Falcon 7X, based on the certification plans done for the Falcon 8x.