Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (NASDAQ:GILT) saw its shares climb 6.8% after the company announced a $40 million contract win for its next-generation SkyEdge IV platform. The deal, to be fulfilled over the next two years, marks a major milestone in Gilat’s transition toward virtualized satellite infrastructure and next-gen 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN).
The SkyEdge IV platform is at the heart of Gilat’s strategic transformation, enabling satellite operators and service providers to shift to a cloud-native, software-driven architecture. Designed to run on standard cloud infrastructure, the platform allows for faster, more efficient deployment of multi-orbit satellite services and supports the industry’s transition to flexible, scalable connectivity models.
As part of the rollout, Gilat has adopted the DIFI open standard digital interface, reinforcing its push for a unified framework that supports terrestrial and satellite communications alike. This positions the company to play a key role in the development of 5G-NTN networks and multi-vendor ecosystems, which are expected to drive innovation and new business models across the satellite industry.
Ron Levin, President of Gilat’s Commercial Division, emphasized the significance of this achievement. “Our support for software-defined satellites and our move toward a fully virtualized ground segment marks an inflection point in our journey. This contract validates our R&D investment strategy and accelerates our path toward delivering 5G-NTN-compliant services,” Levin said.
The market has reacted favorably to the news, with investors seeing the deal as a vote of confidence in Gilat’s technology and long-term strategy. The agreement is expected to open doors to new revenue streams tied to emerging satellite applications, particularly as global demand grows for seamless, hybrid connectivity solutions.
With this contract in hand, Gilat is poised to strengthen its leadership in satellite networking and capitalize on the next wave of transformation across space and telecom industries.