Saudi Arabia-based Arabsat has selected French aerospace firm ACTIA Aerospace to design, supply, and deploy a new generation of Q/V-Band RF gateway systems as part of the ground segment for its upcoming ARABSAT-7A software-defined satellite.
The agreement, signed during the Arabsat 17th Telecom Forum in Bahrain, will see ACTIA deliver two fully integrated and geographically diverse gateway systems. These gateways are designed to enhance resilience, increase capacity, and enable flexible routing. The scope of work includes system design, deployment, testing, commissioning, operator training, and long-term technical support.
According to Arabsat, the new gateway infrastructure will enable support for a broad portfolio of broadband managed services, including enterprise connectivity, mobility, maritime, aviation, and government applications across its coverage footprint.
Arabsat President and CEO Dr. Badr N. Alsuwaidan described the gateway systems as a key element in the company’s transition from traditional geostationary architectures to software-defined satellite systems. This shift is intended to allow dynamic service allocation, more efficient spectrum utilization, and scalable customer solutions.
He noted that ARABSAT-7A represents a significant step toward high-throughput, software-defined satellite capabilities, with Q/V-Band gateways playing a fundamental role in delivering agile, scalable, and resilient connectivity across Arabsat’s markets.
ACTIA CEO François Contou-Carrere added that the Q/V-Band gateway solution aligns with Arabsat’s strategy to evolve toward flexible software-defined GEO architectures while enabling new and innovative satellite services across the MENA region and beyond.
Arabsat previously contracted Thales Alenia Space in 2022 to build ARABSAT-7A based on the Space Inspire (INstant SPace In-orbit REconfiguration) platform. An official launch date for the satellite has not yet been announced.
