The Global SATCOM on the Move Market size is expected to reach USD 96.44 billion by 2032, rising at a market growth of 13.9% CAGR during the forecast period.
The SATCOM on the Move market has developed into an advanced, multi-band, mobile system that allows continuous connectivity across air, sea, and land. Initially developed for defense and government usage-where reliable communication is essential-SOTM systems are now largely being adopted by aviation, maritime, commercial, and emergency response sectors. Technological advancements like phased arrays, software-defined radios, electronically steered antennas, and high-throughput satellites have transformed flexibility, performance, and scalability. Defense and government agencies have also transformed their procurement models to blend commercial satellite capacity along with proprietary systems, thereby developing more resilient, enterprise-level networks.
The SATCOM on the Move market is anticipated to expand due to the elements such as the adoption of software-defined modular architectures, integration of multi-orbit and hybrid satellite networks, and rising commercial-government convergence through flexible procurement. Advanced systems switch effortlessly between medium, geostationary, and low Earth orbit satellites for redundancy, and low-latency, while modular designs enable reduced obsolescence and field upgrades. OEMs such as Thales, Honeywell, Viasat, and Gilat lead through alliances, product innovations, and vertical integration. The SOTM market is evolving into a highly networked, service-oriented ecosystem backed by hybrid architectures, continued innovation, and growing applications between commercial and defense domains.
The leading players in the market are competing with diverse innovative offerings to remain competitive in the market. The above illustration shows the percentage of revenue shared by some of the leading companies in the market. The leading players of the market are adopting various strategies to cater demand coming from the different industries. The key developmental strategies in the market are Acquisitions, and Partnerships & Collaborations.
In the Asia-Pacific and LAMEA region, the SATCOM on the Move market is predicted to experience prominent growth. This growth is driven by the rising demand for real-time communication across maritime and remote regions, increased defense spending, and expanding transportation networks. South Korea, Japan, India, and China are adopting SOTM systems for both commercial as well as military applications, with emphasis on broader security, maritime, and aviation surveillance. The rollout of the LEO satellite constellation and collaborations among global satellite providers and regional operators are further surging the adoption. Furthermore, the LAMEA region is representing a growing demand, mainly from oil & gas exploration, humanitarian operations in remote areas, and defense modernization.
Key Highlights:
- The North America SATCOM on the Move market dominated the Global Market in 2024, accounting for a 37.60% revenue share in 2024.
- The US SATCOM on the Move market is expected to continue its dominance in North America region thereby reaching a market size of 25.50 billion by 2032.
- Among the various End Use segments, the Defense & Military segment dominated the global market contributing a revenue share of 45.40% in 2024.
- In terms of the Frequency Band segmentation, the Ku-band segment is projected to dominate the global market with the projected revenue share of 32.17 % in 2032.
- Land led the Platform segments in 2024, capturing a 45.49% revenue share and is projected to continue its dominance during projected period.
The SATCOM on the Move market has developed into an advanced, multi-band, mobile system that allows continuous connectivity across air, sea, and land. Initially developed for defense and government usage-where reliable communication is essential-SOTM systems are now largely being adopted by aviation, maritime, commercial, and emergency response sectors. Technological advancements like phased arrays, software-defined radios, electronically steered antennas, and high-throughput satellites have transformed flexibility, performance, and scalability. Defense and government agencies have also transformed their procurement models to blend commercial satellite capacity along with proprietary systems, thereby developing more resilient, enterprise-level networks.
The SATCOM on the Move market is anticipated to expand due to the elements such as the adoption of software-defined modular architectures, integration of multi-orbit and hybrid satellite networks, and rising commercial-government convergence through flexible procurement. Advanced systems switch effortlessly between medium, geostationary, and low Earth orbit satellites for redundancy, and low-latency, while modular designs enable reduced obsolescence and field upgrades. OEMs such as Thales, Honeywell, Viasat, and Gilat lead through alliances, product innovations, and vertical integration. The SOTM market is evolving into a highly networked, service-oriented ecosystem backed by hybrid architectures, continued innovation, and growing applications between commercial and defense domains.
COVID-19 Impact Analysis
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted the global SATCOM On-The-Move (SOTM) market, affecting production, procurement, and deployment across defense and commercial sectors. Supply chain interruptions for semiconductors, antennas, and RF modules led to production delays and postponed contracts. Restrictions on travel and field testing further hampered system demonstrations and installations. Defense budget reallocations and deferred procurement decisions slowed modernization programs, while reduced aerospace and maritime activity lowered demand for SOTM terminals. R&D efforts and collaborative projects faced setbacks due to limited workforce access. Overall, the pandemic caused a temporary downturn in market growth, which began recovering after supply chains and operations stabilized post-reopening. Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the market.Driving and Restraining Factors
Drivers- Growing Demand for Resilient, Real-Time Connectivity in Contested or Remote Environments
- Advances in Antenna, RF, and Software Technologies
- Evolution of Satellite Network Architectures (Multi-Orbit, Hybrid, and Resilient Systems)
- Commercialization, Dual-Use Adoption, and Cost Efficiency Pressures
- High Costs, Power, Size, and Weight Constraints
- Technical Challenges in Beam Steering, Tracking, Channel Dynamics, and Interference
- Regulatory, Spectrum, Interoperability, and Procurement & Policy Barriers
- Expansion into Emerging Markets and Under-Connected Regions
- Integration with 5G / NTN (Non-Terrestrial Networks) and “Direct to Device” Communications
- Upgrades, Modernization, and Retrofits in Defense & Legacy Fleets
- Cybersecurity, Anti-Jamming, and Resilience in Contested Environments
- Legacy Systems, Interoperability, and Proprietary Waveform Barriers
- Acquisition Delays, Integration Complexity, and Program Risk
Market Share Analysis
The leading players in the market are competing with diverse innovative offerings to remain competitive in the market. The above illustration shows the percentage of revenue shared by some of the leading companies in the market. The leading players of the market are adopting various strategies to cater demand coming from the different industries. The key developmental strategies in the market are Acquisitions, and Partnerships & Collaborations.
Platform Outlook
Based on platform, the SATCOM on the Move Market is characterized into land, airborne, and maritime. The airborne segment attained 29% revenue share in the SATCOM on the Move Market in 2024. Military aircraft, UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), helicopters, and commercial aviation platforms increasingly require uninterrupted SATCOM links for surveillance, intelligence gathering, situational awareness, and command coordination. The rise of beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) communications in air missions has created strong demand for high-throughput satellite systems that work effectively in motion, at altitude, and under dynamic flight conditions.Frequency band Outlook
On the basis of frequency band, the SATCOM on the Move Market is classified into Ku-band, Ka-band, L-band. The Ka-band segment recorded 28% revenue share in the SATCOM on the Move Market in 2024. Ka-band offers higher throughput compared to Ku-band and is better suited for modern battlefield needs, where real-time video, cloud applications, and command-and-control traffic are essential. As more high-throughput satellites (HTS) and non-geostationary constellations launch in Ka-band, it has become the frequency of choice for forward-looking defense systems, especially in airborne and naval SOTM deployments.Regional Outlook
Region-wise, the SATCOM on the Move Market is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. The North America segment recorded 38% revenue share in the SATCOM on the Move Market in 2024. The SATCOM on the Move market is expected to grow at a significant rate in North America and Europe. This is due to high demand for uninterrupted communication in mobile military operations, advanced defense modernization programs, and rising usage in commercial transport applications. The regional market grows backed by significant investments in low Earth orbit (LEO) constellations, next-generation satellite terminals, and hybrid communication systems supporting homeland security, logistics operations, and military. The increasing focus on remote connectivity and government supported broadband initiatives also contribute to the market expansion. In Europe, regions such as Germany, France, and the UK are deploying SOTM solutions into disaster and defense recovery frameworks, supported by the European Space Agency’s satellite communication initiatives and expansion of high-speed, secure mobile networks.In the Asia-Pacific and LAMEA region, the SATCOM on the Move market is predicted to experience prominent growth. This growth is driven by the rising demand for real-time communication across maritime and remote regions, increased defense spending, and expanding transportation networks. South Korea, Japan, India, and China are adopting SOTM systems for both commercial as well as military applications, with emphasis on broader security, maritime, and aviation surveillance. The rollout of the LEO satellite constellation and collaborations among global satellite providers and regional operators are further surging the adoption. Furthermore, the LAMEA region is representing a growing demand, mainly from oil & gas exploration, humanitarian operations in remote areas, and defense modernization.
List of Key Companies Profiled
- L3Harris Technologies, Inc.
- Elbit Systems Ltd.
- General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc. (General Dynamics Corporation)
- RTX Corporation
- Thales Group S.A.
- Viasat, Inc.
- EchoStar Corporation
- Honeywell International Inc.
- EUTELSAT COMMUNICATIONS SA
- BAE Systems PLC
Market Report Segmentation
By Platform
- Land
- Airborne
- Maritime
By Frequency Band
- Ku-band
- Ka-band
- L-band
- Multi-band
- Other Frequency Band
By End Use
- Defense & Military
- Commercial Enterprises
- Aviation & Maritime
- Government & Public Safety
- Other End Use
By Geography
- North America
- US
- Canada
- Mexico
- Rest of North America
- Europe
- Germany
- UK
- France
- Russia
- Spain
- Italy
- Rest of Europe
- Asia-Pacific
- China
- Japan
- India
- South Korea
- Australia
- Malaysia
- Rest of Asia-Pacific
- LAMEA
- Brazil
- Argentina
- UAE
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
- Nigeria
- Rest of LAMEA
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Market Scope & Methodology
Chapter 2. Market at a Glance
Chapter 3. Market Overview
Chapter 7. Competition Analysis - Global
Chapter 11. Global SATCOM on the Move Market by Platform
Chapter 12. Global SATCOM on the Move Market by Frequency Band
Chapter 13. Global SATCOM on the Move Market by End Use
Chapter 14. Global SATCOM on the Move Market by Region
Chapter 15. Company Profiles
Companies Mentioned
- L3Harris Technologies, Inc.
- Elbit Systems Ltd.
- General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc. (General Dynamics Corporation)
- RTX Corporation
- Thales Group S.A.
- Viasat, Inc.
- EchoStar Corporation
- Honeywell International Inc.
- EUTELSAT COMMUNICATIONS SA
- BAE Systems PLC
