Rick Bergman, CEO of Kymeta, speaks with Teletimes in an exclusive interview during Satellite 2025, Washington about its latest terminal – the Goshawk u8 and other developments at Kymeta
Teletimes: Can you give us an overview of what sets the Goshawk u8 Terminal apart from the other models and the key differences between this and the Osprey?
Rick Bergman: In many ways, the Goshawk builds on the leadership that Kymeta established with the Osprey. Like the Osprey u8, it is a multi-orbit, multi-network terminal. However, while the Osprey was primarily designed with the U.S. Department of Defense in mind, we developed the Goshawk with the needs of the Ministry of Defence (MODs) globally. It carries forward many of the same features. As I mentioned, it supports multi-orbit functionality, but with the added flexibility of having the modem for GEO orbit placed outside the terminal. This allows users to choose their preferred GEO service. Recent global events have underscored the importance of supporting multi-orbit, multi-network configurations, and we view this as a strong validation of our strategy—starting with the Osprey and now evolving with the Goshawk.
“While the Osprey u8 was primarily designed with the U.S. Department of Defense in mind, we developed the Goshawk u8 with the needs of the Ministry of Defence (MODs) globally”
TT: Could you specify where the Goshawk is expected to be deployed outside the U.S. in the near future?
Rick: We’ve just begun shipments, so throughout 2025, you can expect to see deployments ramping up. We’re seeing strong interest from Europe, which continues to be a significant region for us. Additionally, the South Pacific has emerged as a high-interest area due to potential geopolitical developments. Those two regions are currently the hottest zones in terms of expected deployments.
TT: Can you talk a bit about what makes this such a superior solution for the defense industry and government operations?
Rick: The core differentiator is our underlying technology: metamaterials. We are unique in the industry for using metamaterials in our antenna systems. This enables us to support both LEO and GEO orbits with the same antenna—something no one else in the industry has been able to achieve. This capability also brings power efficiency, which is especially critical in contested or power-sensitive environments. Moreover, we include the necessary features to function effectively in GPS-denied environments, further enhancing our suitability for defense applications.
TT: How does the hybrid satellite-cellular capacity of the terminal ensure reliable connectivity in extreme conditions? And how does this benefit first responders?
Rick: What you ultimately want is resilient communication achieved through multiple connectivity paths while balancing bandwidth and associated costs. Terrestrial networks like LTE typically offer low-cost, high-bandwidth connections. From there, LEO networks provide the next tier, and GEO follows. In military situations or natural disasters, maintaining resilient connectivity is critical—those are the moments when losing communication isn’t an option. Having multiple channels—satellite and terrestrial—ensures that vital connectivity is maintained.
TT: As the industry becomes increasingly competitive, how does Kymeta plan to maintain its leadership position?
Rick: As I mentioned earlier, our core technology is metamaterials. Interestingly, the market is evolving toward the very strengths metamaterials offer. As demand grows for multi-orbit, multi-network—and eventually multi-band—solutions, metamaterials truly shine. Since our solution is largely software-defined, switching between LEO and GEO requires no hardware change. That gives us a major edge. Looking ahead, we’ll continue building on this by supporting multi-band and additional functions using our software-defined platform, which remains unique in the industry.
“Our terminals include a quad-core processor, and in the future, we may integrate an MPU to support onboard AI functionality directly”
TT: Are there any AI or machine learning models integrated into your technology?
Rick: My background includes time at AMD and Synaptics, where AI was a constant topic. I’m excited to bring some of that expertise to Kymeta. Currently, we’re using AI in certain areas like acquisition, positioning, and navigation (APN) at the algorithmic level. But as our software-defined systems evolve, AI will play an increasingly critical role.
There’s also an industry mindset shift—we often refer to our products as “terminals,” but we’re moving away from the idea of a “dumb terminal” that simply transmits data. Our terminals include a quad-core processor, and in the future, we may integrate an NPU to support onboard AI functionality directly.
TT: Are all components inside your terminal—such as processing units and chips—developed in-house?
Rick: We use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components; we don’t manufacture our own semiconductors. However, we design the boards, develop the algorithms, and write the software. Assembling all these elements into a reliable product is a non-trivial task, and we’ve built a fairly large R&D team to support this effort.
TT: Kymeta is often seen as a leader in the defense and government sectors. What are your plans for other markets?
Rick: You almost have to look at each market individually. Interestingly, Kymeta initially started in commercial markets. We developed the Hawk for first responders and the Peregrine for maritime applications. Then we expanded into defense with the Osprey and now the Goshawk.
Moving forward, we’ll maintain our focus on defense and government sectors globally. The concept of sovereign networks has also become central—many governments now want to own and operate their own satellite networks. Since Kymeta operates independently from any network provider, we’re well-positioned to support these sovereign efforts—whether GEO or LEO.
We see this as a strong growth opportunity, especially with the rising importance of satellite communications in global defense. Defense budgets are increasing across the board. The war in Ukraine has reinforced how critical secure, reliable connectivity is for modern military operations, from weapons systems to command and control. We’re confident Kymeta is one of the best-positioned companies to lead in this evolving landscape.
