Gilat books multimillion order for Sidewinder inflight ESA terminals

by Sophie Jenkins
London, UK (SPX) Feb 08, 2026

Gilat Satellite Networks has secured a multimillion order from a major global avionics company for its Sidewinder electronically steered antenna inflight connectivity terminals designed by Gilat Stellar Blu, with deliveries scheduled over the next six months.

The new contract underscores growing momentum for the Sidewinder ESA platform as airlines and service providers look to deploy advanced inflight connectivity solutions that combine high performance with low profile, lightweight hardware.

Sidewinder ESA targets commercial, business, VIP, government, and military aviation markets, supporting high throughput satellite networks to provide reliable, high speed connectivity for passengers and crew across a wide range of aircraft types.

The electronically steered antenna uses rapid electronic beam steering to acquire and track satellites, which improves link reliability and reduces moving parts compared to mechanically steered systems, lowering maintenance demands over the life of the terminal.

The terminal is compatible with both traditional geostationary satellites and the OneWeb low Earth orbit constellation, allowing operators to leverage multi orbit inflight connectivity architectures and optimize service levels on different routes.

"Sidewinder continues to gain strong traction in the inflight connectivity market as operators and partners look for scalable, next generation antenna solutions," said Ron Levin, President of Gilat Commercial Division. "This order reinforces Gilat's leadership in IFC and our ability to deliver proven, high performance technologies for todays and future aircraft."

Gilat positions Sidewinder and its broader ESA portfolio as part of a multi orbit strategy spanning GEO and LEO systems to serve commercial and defense aviation customers that demand broadband connectivity with global reach.

The company, together with its subsidiaries including Gilat Wavestream, Gilat DataPath, and Gilat Stellar Blu, offers integrated satellite communications solutions that support very high throughput satellites, software defined satellites, and satellite on the move applications across multiple platforms.

Gilat's aviation offerings sit within a wider portfolio that includes software defined platforms and modems, high performance satellite terminals, solid state power amplifiers, block upconverters, ground systems, and related services for mobility, cellular backhaul, enterprise, government, and critical infrastructure markets.

The latest Sidewinder order adds to Gilat's recent business wins in mobility and broadband infrastructure, reinforcing its effort to capture a larger share of the inflight connectivity market as airlines refresh cabin connectivity and adopt multi orbit satellite architectures.