Gilat wins multi-million dollar SATCOM terminal order from European MoD
Gilat Satellite Networks has received a multi-million dollar order to supply customised SATCOM terminals to a European Ministry of Defence, the NASDAQ- and TASE-listed company announced on 24 June 2026. Delivery is scheduled over the next 12 months, though Gilat did not disclose the customer's identity, the specific contract value beyond the "multi-million dollar" characterisation, or the number of units to be supplied.
The order is fulfilled through Gilat DataPath, the company's defence-focused subsidiary. The terminals are described as ruggedised systems with multi-orbit operability, designed to maintain connectivity in operationally demanding conditions. Multi-orbit capability allows a single terminal to switch between geostationary (GEO), medium-Earth-orbit (MEO) and low-Earth-orbit (LEO) constellations, a property that increases resilience against jamming, atmospheric interference or constellation outages.
The deal
Nicole Robinson, President of Gilat DataPath, said the award "reflects the continued trust defence organisations place in Gilat's field-proven technologies," adding that demand for resilient, mission-ready communications is accelerating as global defence requirements evolve. The company did not name a contracting agency, cite prior programmes with the same customer, or provide unit-level technical specifications such as throughput, frequency band, or size-weight-and-power profile.
Gilat's wider portfolio includes Satellite On-the-Move antennas, Electronically Steered Antennas, solid-state power amplifiers and network management software, all of which span commercial and defence markets. The DataPath subsidiary has historically concentrated on US and allied government customers, making a named European MoD win a meaningful geographic expansion signal, even without contract specifics.
Market context
European defence communications are undergoing substantial investment as NATO members accelerate procurement following Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. Several member states have committed to meeting or exceeding the two-percent-of-GDP defence spending target, and secure, resilient satellite communications are a priority line item. The European Space Agency and the EU's GOVSATCOM programme are also funding sovereign satellite connectivity, creating parallel demand streams alongside bilateral MoD procurement.
In the commercial defence-SATCOM terminal market, Gilat DataPath competes with suppliers including Viasat, L3Harris, and a range of European integrators. The multi-orbit requirement has become a de facto standard in new procurement; vendors that cannot demonstrate LEO compatibility alongside traditional GEO services are increasingly at a disadvantage in tender evaluations.
Regulatory dynamics add further complexity. Export of SATCOM hardware to non-US defence customers is subject to US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) controls, given the dual-use nature of the technology. Gilat, headquartered in Israel, also notes in its filings the geopolitical risks associated with its location and the ongoing regional hostilities, factors that European procurement officers will weigh when assessing supply-chain resilience.
The order adds to Gilat's defence revenue pipeline at a point when satellite connectivity demand is rising sharply across both government and commercial segments. Investors will be watching for disclosure of the customer identity, follow-on orders, and whether the company can convert this win into a broader framework agreement with the contracting ministry.