KNS INC Signs National Project Agreement for Development of Integrated LEO Submarine Satellite Communication Solution

KNS INC. has been selected as the lead research and development institute for the "Submarine Satellite Communication System Development and Deployment Based on Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Commercial Satellite Communication," a project within the Civil-Military Technology Cooperation Program administered by the Agency for Defense Development Civil-Military Cooperation Center and funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.

According to KNS INC. on September 23, the total project budget amounts to approximately 7.3 billion won, including about 5.5 billion won in government funding. The research and development period is set for three years, from September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2029. As the lead research institute, KNS INC. will oversee the entire R&D process.

This national project aims to develop an integrated LEO satellite communication solution tailored to the unique operational environment of submarines. The goal is to enable a submarine to transmit and receive data via commercial satellites using an antenna located at the top of the mast while the vessel is snorting near the surface. This would realize low-latency, high-speed communications and improve the data transmission capacity and operational limitations of existing communication systems.

KNS INC. plans to develop an installation structure suitable for the limited space atop the submarine mast and a dedicated radome to protect the antenna, as well as ensure the waterproofness of cables and connectors. In addition, by effectively integrating the vessel's power supply with the communication software and components, KNS INC. will establish an integrated system that can be stably operated onboard submarines.

The integrated system being developed will undergo environmental and performance verification in accordance with U.S. Military Standard (MIL-STD) and will subsequently be installed on actual submarines. KNS INC. will then verify high-speed data transmission performance and communication stability using the LEO satellite network, thereby establishing the technological foundation for future military applications.

A representative from KNS INC. stated, "Through this project, we expect to secure the core system technology necessary to operate LEO satellite communication systems onboard actual submarines, and to establish a domestic submarine demonstration reference. Based on this achievement, we will expand the scope of application to international submarine programs as well."

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