Kratos In the First Group of Two Satellite Ground System Products to Achieve DIFI Standard Compliance
SAN DIEGO, March 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS), a technology company in Defense, National Security and Global Markets, announced today that its OpenEdge 2500 integration-ready digitizer, part of its OpenSpace® family of dynamic ground system products, has achieved official DIFI compliance, one of the first two products in the industry to obtain the recognized status.
Working under the auspices of the IEEE, the Digital IF Interoperability Consortium (DIFI) is an independent, international group of companies, organizations, and government agencies that have an interest in the interoperability of satellite ground system equipment. The DIFI Digital IF/RF Standard is intended to accelerate industry transformation beyond stove-piped, hardware-based systems and into digital software-defined networks. Adoption of this standard means network operators can choose the best of breed products with standards-based digitization.
Kratos' OpenEdge 2500 helps satellite antenna makers digitally enable their products by converting radio frequency (RF) signals into Internet protocol (IP) data streams. The DIFI compliant digital signal is easily incorporated for use into modern software-defined communications networks. The digitizer can be embedded within any antenna, terminal or Universal Customer Premise Equipment (uCPE). Kratos digitizers are a key component in modern, software-defined ground systems because they are the bridge to digital transformation and the first step towards successfully leveraging IP networking and cloud adoption.
"Kratos continues to lead the industry in building interoperable, standards-based products that bring satellite networks into the mainstream of global communications infrastructure," said Kevin Tobias, Director of Product Management at Kratos. "Kratos is the first and only company delivering a commercially available, software-defined and orchestrated satellite ground system platform. The OpenEdge 2500 serves as an on-ramp for converting analog satellite data and communications streams for operations and management in digital and cloud environments. Kratos' commitment to building standards-based interoperable products supports a digital future that delivers more flexible, streamlined and affordable satellite services worldwide."
As a founding member of the DIFI Consortium, Kratos recognizes the importance of the adoption of standards like DIFI in advancing that transformation and the satellite industry's ability to scale and meet future demand. The implementation of the DIFI standard across a wide variety of ground system products is foundational in Kratos' ongoing effort to support the integration of satellite services so that satellite ground systems operate seamlessly with today's wireless and terrestrial networks.
"We are thrilled that Kratos' OpenEdge 2500 is one of the first two products to meet compliance standards through the DIFI Certification Working Group process," commented Stuart Daughtridge, Chairman of the DIFI Consortium. "This approval is a major milestone for Kratos, DIFI, and the satellite industry in ensuring that satellite ground segments can seamlessly adapt to rapidly changing space-layer payloads, orbits, and constellations."
About Kratos Defense & Security Solutions
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS) is a technology, products, system and software company addressing the defense, national security, and commercial markets. Kratos makes true internally funded research, development, capital and other investments, to rapidly develop, produce and field solutions that address our customers' mission critical needs and requirements. At Kratos, affordability is a technology, and we seek to utilize proven, leading edge approaches and technology, not unproven bleeding edge approaches or technology, with Kratos' approach designed to reduce cost, schedule and risk, enabling us to be first to market with cost effective solutions. We believe that Kratos is known as an innovative disruptive change agent in the industry, a company that is an expert in designing products and systems up front for successful rapid, large quantity, low cost future manufacturing which is a value add competitive differentiator for our large traditional prime system integrator partners and also to our government and commercial customers. Kratos intends to pursue program and contract opportunities as the prime or lead contractor when we believe that our probability of win (PWin) is high and any investment required by Kratos is within our capital resource comfort level. We intend to partner and team with a large, traditional system integrator when our assessment of PWin is greater or required investment is beyond Kratos' comfort level. Kratos' primary business areas include virtualized ground systems for satellites and space vehicles including software for command & control (C2) and telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C), jet powered unmanned aerial drone systems, hypersonic vehicles and rocket systems, propulsion systems for drones, missiles, loitering munitions, supersonic systems, space craft and launch systems, C5ISR and microwave electronic products for missile, radar, missile defense, space, satellite, counter UAS, directed energy, communication and other systems, and virtual & augmented reality training systems for the warfighter. For more information, visit www.KratosDefense.com.
About DIFI
The Digital Intermediate Frequency (IF) Interoperability Consortium, or DIFI, has created a standard that enforces interoperability on digital IF/RF technology. Digital IF was developed to overcome the limitations of analog systems but, today, vendor lock-in prevents it from delivering seamless interoperability and severely limits its adoption. A truly interoperable digital IF, on the other hand, will enable transformation to a virtualized ground segment, reducing the total cost of ownership and significantly boosting network and terminal agility and scalability. Compliance with the DIFI standard will ensure that satellite ground segments can seamlessly adapt to rapidly changing space-layer payloads, orbits, and constellations. Ultimately, DIFI promises to elevate the resilience, performance, and capabilities of satellite networks and enable a digital transformation that integrates satellites seamlessly into the larger telecom, IT and GIS markets.
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the management of Kratos and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Kratos undertakes no obligation to update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Although Kratos believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements involve many risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from what may be expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. For a further discussion of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of Kratos in general, see the risk disclosures in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Kratos for the year ended December 29, 2024, and in subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K and other filings made with the SEC by Kratos.
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