Honeywell’s JetWave X satcom system selected for US Army’s ARES demonstrator platform

Honeywell’s JetWave X high-speed satellite communication (satcom) system has been selected by L3Harris Technologies to upgrade the US Army’s Airborne Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare System (ARES) aircraft, Honeywell announced on 14 May 2025.

The ARES platform, which is Bombardier Global 6000/6500-class business jet owned and operated by L3Harris, is a US Army demonstrator aircraft that features future airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) technologies. Installing JetWave X in the aircraft will allow the US Army to transmit mission-critical information at higher data rates than currently available while ensuring a constant connection through JetWave X’s resilient, multi-network architecture.

JetWave X builds upon the success of Honeywell’s JetWave satcom system by improving the ease of installation and providing greater service network flexibility, with the capability to connect to any Viasat Ka-band satellite. The system’s open architecture also ensures compatibility with future Ka-band networks, making it network agnostic.

“Today’s pilots need access to real-time data with uninterrupted connectivity to make mission-critical decisions,” Matt Milas, president of Honeywell Aerospace Technologies’ defence and space business, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “Honeywell is proud to provide ARES with JetWave X: the only multi-network satellite communications system for government aviation that seamlessly connects to the Inmarsat Global Xpress, ViaSat-3 and other Ka-band constellations.”

Honeywell has supported ARES for several years in collaboration with L3Harris, “demonstrating both companies’ commitment to delivering advanced, reliable technology in support of U. Army missions”, Honeywell noted.