Military forces have never had more options to move data across the battlespace than they do today. The rise of commercial satellite infrastructure operating alongside traditional military assets has expanded beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) connectivity for both strategic and tactical operations.
For warfighters operating in contested environments, harnessing that full spectrum has become the defining requirement to secure the kill chain.
Modern warfare demands the ability to sense, decide and act across vast distances, but connectivity often breaks down under electronic warfare pressures. Aircrews and ground commanders operating at the edge rely heavily on BLOS communications for real-time targeting, sensor data exchange and command and control across distances that traditional systems cannot reach. In this persistent operational reality, if connectivity fails, the kill chain fails.
This threat is documented and growing. The U.S. intelligence community confirms adversaries can now deny, degrade and destroy satellite communications (SATCOM). An architecture relying on a single constellation, frequency or pathway creates an exploitable vulnerability in peer conflicts.
When One Path Closes, Another Must Open
Resilient communications through pathway diversity defines modern SATCOM architectures. L3Harris Technologies uses hybrid SATCOM to connect operators to multiple constellations across multi-orbit, multi-band and multi-waveform technology. When electronic jamming, cyberattacks and other deliberate efforts disrupt target links, the architecture responds instantly. Data reroutes across the next available orbit, band or constellation without operator intervention and without breaking the flow of mission-critical information. This ensures commanders maintain real-time situational awareness.
“Every element of the kill chain is built to perform under fire,” said Shawn Miller, President, Spectrum Superiority, Communications & Spectrum Dominance, L3Harris. “Our hybrid SATCOM solutions ensure connectivity meets that exact same standard to eliminate single points of failure so the warfighter is never left in the dark.”
Architecture Built to Evolve
Speed matters in the kill chain, and it is equally as crucial in capability development. As the U.S. military accelerates the adoption of commercial technology for critical missions, rapid integration has become essential.
L3Harris developed the Rapidly Adaptable Standards-compliant Open Radio (RASOR™) chassis to deliver a premier open-architecture foundation for hybrid SATCOM capability. The RASOR family of terminals takes a modular, open-systems approach that seamlessly hosts third-party hardware modules and software applications. For military operators, this means the flexibility to integrate new capabilities as mission requirements shift. For industry partners, it represents a sustainable, cost-effective model that eliminates vendor lock and bridges the gap between commercial innovation and military necessity.
"Commanders cannot wait on slow procurement cycles when the battlespace evolves daily," said Miller. "We designed RASOR so operators can integrate new waveforms and partner technologies. It delivers the capabilities required for today's fight while adapting continuously as new threats emerge."
With NSA Type 1 certification expected in early 2027, RASOR supports mission-critical data transmitting across military and commercial infrastructure to meet the most rigorous standards for protection and integrity. Its open architecture enables seamless integration into existing systems and deployment across a wide array of joint force platforms.
Some other solutions are still working toward that standard. L3Harris is delivering it today.
The Multi-Path Forward
Pathway diversity, multi-orbit resilience and open architecture form the foundation of the joint force’s communications future.
Data wins wars, and the warfighter who can move it, protect it and act on it first holds the decisive advantage.
Integrated hybrid SATCOM solutions from L3Harris provide the Air Force with a flexible foundation for command, control, communications and battle management. Built on a non-proprietary architecture with Government Property Rights to critical chassis, modules and software, the solution enables easier integration of new technologies, greater control over sustainment and upgrades, and reduced reliance on proprietary dependencies. This flexibility helps the Air Force support secure data sharing, mission coordination and resilient operations across dispersed environments.
