ST Engineering iDirect (along with Stephan Heirbrant from GovSat) attended the 8th edition of GOVSATCOM 2025 which took place on February 27 at the European Convention Center in Luxembourg with 1,700 registered to attend. The one-day event featured another impressive line-up of industry speakers, exciting exhibits, and networking opportunities.
The conference sessions highlighted several critical themes shaping the future of the industry, including the challenges posed by political uncertainty, which demand agile strategies and resilient operations. The need for diversification – whether that is orbits, frequencies, satellite providers, and platforms – was highlighted as key to reducing risks and enhancing flexibility. There was also the continued importance of highly secure solutions to protect sensitive data and ensure operational continuity in an increasingly contested environment. Multi-domain operations emerged as crucial for enhancing resiliency while collaboration across governments, private entities, and allied organizations was deemed vital for addressing challenges and driving innovation. These key themes emphasized the industry’s need for secure and resilient integrated satcom solutions.
The good news is that ST Engineering iDirect’s resilient integrated solutions portfolio delivers an end-to-end satcom solution, fortified with multi-layered security to meet any requirement.
Koen Willems, VP of EU/NATO Programs & Government Relations, presented in his James Bond-inspired session, The Future of GOVSATCOM: Integrating Advanced Technologies for Mission Success. After choosing to accept his mission, Koen outlined the key objectives to enhance flexibility, integrate seamlessly into terminals, connect to multi-orbit networks, boost security, and incorporate secure waveforms—all with his trusted “gadget,” the 450mp SDR modem.
The 450mp is a multi-orbit, multi-waveform software-defined radio (SDR) modem board, designed to meet FIPS 140-3 Level 3 and WGS, and is optimized for SWaP. Available on the Evolution Defense platform, it becomes an even more powerful solution when paired with the leading CSIR™ interference mitigation technology. Together, they deliver a highly secure and resilient satcom solution, reflecting the advanced innovations needed for mission success in the evolving GOVSATCOM landscape.
On the exhibition floor, there were some key terminal innovations by some of ST Engineering iDirect’s key partners:
- Paradigm’s RAGNO terminal (powered by the iDirect 950mp) – an ultra-portable, quick-to-deploy satellite communication solution offering high-performance connectivity and versatility for critical operations.
- Holkirk Scarab Manpack terminal (powered by the iDirect 950mp) – a compact, lightweight, and highly portable satellite communication solution designed for rapid deployment and reliable connectivity in demanding environments.
To learn about ST Engineering iDirect’s portfolio of Resilient Integrated Solutions (RIS) or to schedule a live CSIR demo, please contact the Global Government team.
© All Photography by Raoul Somers