United Kingdom – October 27, 2026 -- Marconi Technologies is combining its Hunter tactical SATCOM terminals, including a sub-25-pound ULV manpack, with ST Engineering iDirect modem technology to supply defence forces with multi-orbit connectivity that keeps working under jamming and network degradation.
Hunter terminals cover four bands and five satellite networks
The Hunter family supports quad-band operation across X, C, Ku and Ka bands. It is compatible with WGS, SkyNet, Inmarsat GX, SES Flex and GovSat. Carbon fibre construction cuts weight while keeping the structure stable in extreme conditions. The range runs from the ULV manpack to the larger FA-370 platform.
iDirect modems extend access across GEO, MEO and LEO
Henry Nelson, President UK at Marconi Technologies, said antenna hardware alone cannot deliver resilient multi-orbit networking. Hunter terminals integrate with modem platforms that reach GEO, MEO and emerging LEO architectures across government and commercial networks. iDirect contributes dynamic bandwidth allocation, virtualization and network orchestration, so the terminal functions as part of a wider architecture rather than a standalone asset.
Layered architecture targets jamming, cyber threats and spectrum congestion
Nelson cited recent conflicts as proof that communications must survive jamming, interference, cyber threats, spectrum congestion and the loss of individual network elements. Marconi's layered approach combines SATCOM, troposcatter, tactical radios and mesh networking under intelligent network orchestration. Its portfolio includes Orion radios and Archer troposcatter systems. iDirect adds traffic prioritization, network reconfiguration and multi-path communications.
Standard platform, customized integrations
Marconi keeps a common, qualified terminal platform and tailors the integration around it. Individual nations and programs can specify their own modems, security architectures, sovereign waveforms, network management approaches or satellite providers. The company says this limits development risk while preserving interoperability with existing and future networks.
Nelson said customers increasingly buy complete communications architectures rather than individual terminals. Marconi pitches Hunter as scalable from small tactical deployments to enterprise-level defence networks, with a path toward future multi-orbit systems.