Modern military forces face a critical challenge: accessing real-time video and imagery in increasingly contested tactical environments. Beyond simple bandwidth limitations, today’s battlefield RF spectrum is actively jammed, interfered with, and monitored by adversaries, forcing the adoption of Low Probability of Intercept/Detection (LPI/LPD) waveforms that inherently operate at significantly reduced data rates. As battlefield intelligence becomes increasingly visual and AI driven C4ISR systems demand more data, this contested electromagnetic environment creates a seemingly impossible requirement.

VAST™ addresses this fundamental challenge through its revolutionary software-based video platform that delivers superior compression efficiency reducing bandwidth requirements by 30 50% compared to traditional encoders. By enabling high-definition video streaming at just 200 Kbps and standard definition at under 50 Kbps, VAST ensures vital visual information reaches commanders and operators even when using spectrum constrained LPI/LPD communications. Its ability to operate on any tactical communication network while running on basic computing hardware from servers to Raspberry Pi devices means video capabilities can now extend to the tactical edge without adding significant SWaP-C burden.

As military forces increasingly rely on situational awareness and AI-augmented decision making in contested environments, VAST™'s ability to deliver high-quality visual data over secure, low bandwidth connections becomes essential for maintaining information superiority on the modern battlefield.

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), drones, and advanced sensors have become indispensable assets for military operations, providing critical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities without risking personnel. However, their effectiveness is severely compromised in contested electromagnetic environments where adversaries actively jam, interfere with, and monitor transmissions. The challenge is twofold: these platforms must transmit high-quality video feeds while maintaining low electronic signatures, all within the substantial size, weight, and power constraints of smaller tactical systems.

VAST™ uniquely addresses both challenges by enabling high definition video streaming at a fraction of the bandwidth traditionally required, making it compatible with secure Low Probability of Intercept/Detection (LPI/LPD) transmission methods even in heavily contested spectrum environments.

Moreover, VAST™'s exceptional performance on low SWaP-C hardware capable of running efficiently on platforms as modest as a Raspberry Pi. This allows VAST™ to be embedded directly on small tactical drones and sensor packages without compromising their operational range or endurance. This revolutionary capability ensures that critical visual data from even the smallest UAS platforms can be transmitted securely back to operators and command centers, significantly enhancing battlefield situational awareness while operating within the realities of modern electromagnetic warfare. As drone operations continue to evolve toward smaller, more numerous platforms operating in contested environments, VAST™'s efficiency becomes a key enabler for maintaining tactical overmatch.

VAST™ fundamentally transforms the capabilities of military communication systems by making video possible where it was previously deemed impossible. Traditional tactical communication networks like HF radio, UHF TACSAT, L-TAC, and MUOS were designed primarily for voice and limited data transmission, with video streaming considered beyond their practical capabilities due to bandwidth constraints. VAST™'s breakthrough compression technology shatters these limitations, enabling high-quality video streaming over these legacy networks without requiring expensive hardware upgrades or infrastructure overhauls. This capability represents more than just an incremental improvement, it unlocks entirely new operational possibilities for existing equipment already deployed in the field. Military units can now transmit critical visual intelligence over HF radio systems that previously could only handle voice and text, or stream drone footage over narrowband SATCOM links that were once restricted to the most basic data capabilities.

This extends the useful life of billions of dollars in fielded communication equipment while dramatically expanding their capabilities. For forward-deployed units such as recon and patrols, the ability to transmit and receive video over their existing radios, equipment they already carry, know how to use, and trust, provides an immediate force multiplier effect without adding logistical burden or extensive retraining. VAST™ doesn’t just improve video transmission; it reimagines the possibilities of the entire tactical communications ecosystem.