Cailabs Builds Transportable Optical Ground Station in France, Plans to Produce Up to 12 Units in First Batch in 2027

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Global deep tech company Cailabs is building the first Transportable Optical Ground Station (TOGS) in Rennes, France, in partnership with U.S. communications specialist Gilat DataPath. Gilat DataPath is a wholly owned subsidiary of Gilat Satellite Networks, Ltd. (Nasdaq: GILT, TASE: GILT).

The first TOGS is currently being demonstrated in France. The two parties plan to build on this initial system to advance production of up to 12 units in the first batch in 2027, with an industrial footprint that may include assembly at Gilat DataPath's manufacturing facility in Duluth, Georgia. The two companies have been collaborating since 2025 to develop the transportable optical ground station, integrating optical communications and deployable infrastructure capabilities.

TOGS mounts technology proven in reliable operation in fixed optical ground stations onto a standard military skid. Cailabs provides the optical system, including technology to overcome atmospheric turbulence; Gilat DataPath provides the ruggedized transport platform, as well as access to U.S. production and support infrastructure. Cailabs' optical link has reached Technology Readiness Level 9 (TRL 9), supports 10 Gbps bidirectional links, and has been validated on multiple government and commercial satellites. Gilat DataPath's DKET 3420 skid platform has likewise reached TRL 9 and has been deployed by the U.S. Department of War and multiple national defense ministries.

The resulting optical ground station is designed to establish bidirectional optical links with low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, transmit massive amounts of data between forward and rear command posts, and be used on unprepared ground. In contested environments such as conflict zones, conventional radio links may be jammed, intercepted, or constrained by spectrum congestion; optical communications have a low probability of detection and interception and are immune to radio frequency interference.

Optical ground stations have historically been deployed as fixed infrastructure. TOGS extends these capabilities to a transportable platform, designed to be deployed where operational users need connectivity. The system is based on a standard 20-foot ISO military skid, meets C-130 transport requirements, can be moved by road or military aircraft, and can be rapidly deployed in the field. It is designed for autonomous operation to support LEO missions, with a path to upgrade to medium Earth orbit (MEO), while complying with U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA) standards.

Jean-François Morizur, CEO and founder of Cailabs, said the next step for optical communications is to free it from fixed sites and put it where military users truly need it; Cailabs and Gilat DataPath are taking technology that has already worked with satellites and mounting it on a proven military platform that can be rapidly relocated and deployed. The first system is currently being built in Rennes and is expected to be demonstrated in France this September; the next goal is to achieve the first batch of up to 12 units in 2027. Partnering with Gilat DataPath also makes it possible to assemble systems in the United States as demand grows.

Nicole Robinson, President of Gilat DataPath, said the demand for transportable communications capabilities has never been greater. Militaries need systems that can be rapidly deployed, relocated, and operated wherever the mission takes them. Gilat DataPath's transportable infrastructure is already trusted by the U.S. Department of War and allied forces worldwide, and this collaboration with Cailabs helps transform advanced optical communications from a fixed-site capability into a deployable operational asset that can be delivered directly to the point of need.

Gilat DataPath has a well-established global support network, including 80 field service representatives, 40 of whom support global military operations. As positioned by both parties, TOGS drives the evolution of optical communications from fixed infrastructure to deployable operational capability; by combining proven optical communications technology with a transportable military platform, Cailabs and Gilat DataPath aim to make high-capacity optical links available wherever operational users need them.