The U.S. Navy has awarded Raytheon a $103 million contract to produce, test and deliver fully integrated Navy Multiband Terminals.

Navy Multiband Terminals provide satellite communications through both protected and wideband platforms. According to Raytheon, the equipment is expected to be installed in about 300 U.S. Navy vessels, including ships, submarines and shore stations.

NMTs are to replace legacy SATCOM systems Raytheon developed and maintained for the Navy in the 1980s. Newer systems will provide naval commanders with more data throughput capacity and enhanced protection against potential threats.

The new equipment supports Extremely High Frequency, Military Ka, and Global Broadcast Service communications. If all options of the contract are exercised, the cumulative value increases to an estimated $466 million. Three percent of the purchases are allocated for a foreign military sale to the United Kingdom.

Work on the contract will be performed in Florida and Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by September 2018.