Consolidation with the Digital Interface Standards Working Group (DIS) Brings Seven New Members to the Digital IF Interoperability Consortium (DIFI)
Piscataway, NJ, December 22, 2021 – The Digital IF Interoperability Consortium (DIFI), the independent space industry group formed to advance interoperability in satellite and ground system networks, and the Digital Interface Standards Working Group (DIS) today announced that the seven members of DIS will consolidate that organization within DIFI, advancing the breadth of industry representation working together for common interoperability standards.
“By incorporating the DIS membership into DIFI, we are creating a single group comprising companies with great experience and technological knowhow that can pool their expertise and resources to achieve our end goal,” commented Frederik Simoens, CTO at ST Engineering iDirect.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome our new members to DIFI,” commented Stuart Daughtridge, Chairman of DIFI and SVP for Advanced Technologies at Kratos. “We share the same goal of bringing the satellite industry into greater compatibility with the global communications infrastructure through the creation of common standards.”
The new members joining DIFI are some of the most recognized names in the industry, including Communications & Power Industries LLC (CPI), DataPath, Datum Systems, Inc., Gilat Satellite Networks, SES SA. (SES), ST Engineering iDirect, and Wavestream. Comtech, a DIFI member since October of this year, is also a member of DIS.
DIFI members are working to support innovation and the digital transformation of space, satellite and related network technologies through the development of industry interoperability standards. In August, DIFI introduced version 1.0 of its interoperability standard based upon VITA 49, entitled IEEE-ISTO Std 4900-2021: Digital IF Interoperability Standard which can be downloaded at the Consortium’s website https://dificonsortium.org.
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ST Engineering North America is the U.S. headquarters of ST Engineering, a global technology, defense and engineering group with a diverse portfolio of businesses across the aerospace, smart city, defense and public security segments. Based in Alexandria, VA, it has major operations across 16 cities in 12 states and employs about 5,000 people providing innovative products and solutions to commercial and government customers across diverse market segments.
ST Engineering iDirect, a subsidiary of ST Engineering North America, is a global leader in satellite communications (satcom) providing technology and solutions that enable its customers to expand their business, differentiate their services and optimize their satcom networks. Through the merger with Newtec, a recognized industry pioneer, the combined business unites over 35 years of innovation focused on solving satellite’s most critical economic and technology challenges and expands a shared commitment to shaping the future of how the world connects. The product portfolio, branded under the names iDirect and Newtec, represents the highest standards in performance, efficiency and reliability, making it possible for its customers to deliver the best satcom connectivity experience anywhere in the world. ST Engineering iDirect is the world’s largest TDMA enterprise VSAT manufacturer and is the leader in key industries including broadcast, mobility and military/government. In 2007, iDirect Government was formed to better serve the U.S. government and defense communities. For more information on our platforms please visit www.iDirect.net.
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Guy Shields
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