Mission Microwave
Mission Microwave Technologies designs and manufactures Gallium Nitride (GaN) Solid State Power Amplifiers and Block Upconverters for satellite communications, serving government defense agencies, satellite operators, and terminal manufacturers across X, Ku, and Ka-Bands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersCypress, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Mission Microwave does
Mission Microwave Technologies, LLC, founded in 2014 and headquartered in Cypress, California, designs and manufactures Gallium Nitride (GaN) Solid State Power Amplifiers (SSPAs) and Block Upconverters (BUCs) for satellite communications ground terminals operating in X-Band (7.9-8.4 GHz), Ku-Band (13.75-14.5 GHz), and Ka-Band (27.5-31 GHz). The company's product portfolio spans 10 watts to 1 kilowatt of output power, anchored by four product families — Stinger, Javelin, Titan, and MOAB — that share a common monitor-and-control interface, enabling multi-band terminal designs with consistent electrical and mechanical interfaces. Its core technical differentiator is proprietary in-house GaN power combining technology that compresses high-power solid-state amplification into smaller, lighter, and more power-efficient form factors than legacy Traveling Wave Tube Amplifiers (TWTAs), with operating ranges of -40°C to +60°C for tactical and airborne environments.
The company operates a direct enterprise sales model with dedicated regional coverage (including a VP for EMEA) and an embedded OEM channel in which its BUCs are integrated into SATCOM terminals from partners such as AvL Technologies, Intellian, C-Com, Sat-Lite, GATR Technologies, and Cubic. Revenue is generated through one-time hardware sales under multi-year contracts at quote-based enterprise pricing, supplemented by custom and contract manufacturing of integrated transceivers for specific defense programs. Customer segments span US Department of Defense and allied militaries (tactical SATCOM, transportable terminals, ISR), commercial mobility markets (aviation IFC, maritime, land mobile), satellite gateways and teleports, and LEO/MEO constellation operators (SES O3b mPOWER, Telesat Lightspeed), with the manufacturer certified to AS9100:2016 for aerospace and defense quality systems.
In March 2024, Mission Microwave was acquired by an affiliate of J.F. Lehman & Company, a New York-based private equity firm with approximately $5 billion in assets under management focused on aerospace, defense, maritime, government, and environmental sectors, succeeding prior ownership by GaAs Labs. The company has manufactured more than 10,000 GaN BUCs cumulatively as of March 2022 and continues to expand its product line, most recently with a 750W Ku-Band MOAB BUC in March 2026 and a Telesat Lightspeed Landing Station supply agreement in January 2026.
Mission Microwave firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mission Microwave
- Legal name
- Mission Microwave Technologies, LLC
- Website
- https://missionmicrowave.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Mission Microwave Technologies designs and manufactures Gallium Nitride (GaN) Solid State Power Amplifiers and Block Upconverters for satellite communications, serving government defense agencies, satellite operators, and terminal manufacturers across X, Ku, and Ka-Bands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mission Microwave industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Satellite Communications RF Power Amplifiers
- NAICS
- Power, Distribution, and Specialty Transformer Manufacturing (335311), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513)
- SIC
- Electronic Coils, Transformers & Other Inductors (3677), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Computer Communications Equipment (3576)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Power Amplifiers (PAs) & Envelope Tracking ICs (HDAHAMAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Microwave & RF Signal Chain ICs (Mixers/Detectors/Attenuators) (HDAHAMAL), Low-Noise Amplifiers (LNAs) & RF Gain Blocks (HDAHAMAC)
Keywords
Where Mission Microwave is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cypress
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Mission Microwave business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales - BUCs and SSPAs: One-time sale of Solid State Power Amplifiers and Block Upconverters. Products range from 10W to 1kW across X-, Ku-, and Ka-Bands. Sold directly to terminal integrators and through distribution partners. Revenue recognized upon product delivery.
- Custom/Contract Manufacturing: Design and manufacture of custom integrated transceivers and BUCs for specific customer programs, including DoD contractors. Multiple multi-million dollar contracts for tactical terminal upgrades and specialized applications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom enterprise pricing based on power level, frequency band, and configuration |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Mission Microwave product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mission Microwave designs, manufactures, and sells Gallium Nitride (GaN) based Solid State Power Amplifiers (SSPAs) and Block Upconverters (BUCs) for satellite communications applications. Products span X-Band (7.9–8.4 GHz), Ku-Band (13.75–14.5 GHz), and Ka-Band (27.5–31 GHz) with power outputs from 10 watts to 1 kilowatt, packaged in compact, lightweight form factors for ground-based, airborne, and space-based terminal and gateway use.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ku-Band 55 watt Stinger BUC Compact 55-watt Block Upconverter for Ku-Band satellite communications terminals, used on fixed, transportable, and mobile platforms globally including Verizon First Responder support networks.
- X-Band 200 watt Titan BUC Compact 200-watt saturated (100-watt linear) GaN Block Upconverter for X-Band (7.9–8.4 GHz) satellite terminals, designed for tactical and transportable applications where small size and low weight are critical.
- X-Band 400 watt (200 watt linear) Low PIM MOAB BUC Mid-power GaN Block Upconverter for X-Band satellite terminals, delivering 400 watts saturated and 200 watts linear with low passive intermodulation performance for multi-carrier uplink applications.
- X-Band 800 watt (400 watt linear) Low PIM MOAB BUC High-power GaN Block Upconverter for X-Band satellite terminals, delivering 800 watts saturated and 400 watts linear with low passive intermodulation for multi-carrier gateway and tactical applications.
- Ku-Band 1 kilowatt MOAB BUC High-power one-kilowatt GaN Solid State Power Amplifier / Block Upconverter for Ku-Band satellite gateways and teleports, providing up to 500 watts of linear power in multi-carrier environments; debuted at IBC 2023 alongside AS9100 certification.
- Ku-Band 750 watt MOAB BUC 750-watt rated (316-watt linear) GaN Block Upconverter / SSPA for Ku-Band satellite communications, optimized as the industry's most compact and lightweight 750W linear Ku-band solid state power amplifier.
- Ka-Band 20 watt Cube BUC Compact 20-watt Ka-Band Block Upconverter for small, portable SATCOM terminals such as GATR inflatable terminals, providing lightweight GaN amplification in the smallest Cube form factor.
- Ka-Band 250 watt MOAB BUC Mid-power 250-watt GaN Block Upconverter for Ka-Band satellite terminals, part of the MOAB family targeting gateways, teleports, and high-throughput terminals.
- Ka-Band 400 watt MOAB BUC High-power 400-watt Ka-Band GaN Block Upconverter (27.5–31 GHz) for satellite gateways, teleports, and HTS user terminals including SES O3b mPOWER applications.
- Ka-Band 400 watt MOAB SSPA 400-watt Ka-Band Solid State Power Amplifier designed to replace Traveling Wave Tube amplifiers in satellite gateway and teleport uplink infrastructure, including SES O3b mPOWER gateways.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduce system amplifier cost by hundreds of thousands of dollars compared to legacy combining networks
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Mission Microwave
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Mission Microwave technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Mission Microwave partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- TelesatcoreMission Microwave secured a contract to supply upconverters for Telesat's Lightspeed LEO satellite network. Providing compact, efficient 100-watt BUCs with GaN technology for the network's Landing Stations supporting Telesat's global LEO satellite rollout planned for 2026-2027.
- SES (O3b mPOWER)coreSES selected Mission Microwave's 40-watt Ka-band BUC for use in high throughput customer user terminals for SES's second generation MEO system O3b mPOWER. Additionally, Mission Microwave supplies high-power Ka-band SSPAs for O3b mPOWER gateways to replace legacy TWT amplifiers.
- EnvistacomcoreMission Microwave and Envistacom confirmed initial orders of a major satellite ground terminal upgrade program for a US Government customer. Envistacom is a leading provider of communications, cyber and intelligence operations solutions to the US DoD.
- AvL TechnologiescoreAvL Technologies incorporates Mission Microwave BUCs in their SATCOM terminals including military and commercial applications. Featured at industry events and customer installations.
- Sat-Lite TechnologiescoreMission Microwave and Sat-Lite Technologies teamed up to introduce lightweight redundant high power Ku-Band BUCs integrated into compact vehicular mount antenna packages for satellite news gathering vehicles.
- IntelliancoreIntellian, global leader in mobile satellite communication antenna systems, uses Mission Microwave Ka-band BUCs in terminals for HTS and LEO satellite networks including completion of early deployment trials on LEO constellations.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Mission Microwave competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Teledyne Paradise Datacom: Manufactures GaN SSPAs and BUCs for satellite communications uplinks across L-, S-, C-, X-, Ku-, and Ka-Bands, including high-power amplifiers for teleports—directly comparable to Mission Microwave's Stinger, Javelin, Titan, and MOAB product families.
- Comtech Telecommunications: Direct competitor in SATCOM RF ground equipment, including solid-state and TWTA-based high-power amplifiers and BUCs across X-, Ku-, and Ka-Bands for defense and commercial satellite operators. Mission Microwave's Regional VP for EMEA (Alex Fitzgerald) was previously VP Sales at Comtech, underscoring the direct overlap.
- Advantech Wireless (Baylin Technologies): Provides GaN-based SSPAs, BUCs, and SATCOM RF subsystems for defense and commercial customers, competing head-to-head with Mission Microwave's compact high-power amplifier offerings.
- Communications & Power Industries (CPI): Leading manufacturer of traveling wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs) and solid-state power amplifiers for satellite communications uplinks, directly competing with Mission Microwave in gateway and teleport high-power amplifier sockets.
Broad incumbents
- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions: Broader defense and SATCOM prime with a significant space and ground communications business, including RF amplifier products and end-to-end SATCOM systems that overlap Mission Microwave's defense/government customer base.
- L3Harris Technologies: Large defense prime supplying tactical SATCOM terminals, RF electronics, and integrated communications systems to US DoD and allies—overlapping with Mission Microwave's defense customer set and TWTA-replacement programs.
- General Dynamics Mission Systems: Defense systems integrator with satellite communications ground terminals and RF subsystems for US DoD; competes for the same tactical SATCOM and gateway programs that Mission Microwave's BUCs are designed into.
- Hughes Network Systems (EchoStar): Major satellite ground-segment equipment provider and operator of high-throughput satellites, supplying gateways and user terminals; an incumbent counterpart to Mission Microwave in the broader SATCOM ecosystem.
Regional players
- ND SatCom (SKY Perfect JSAT subsidiary): European-headquartered supplier of SATCOM ground stations, hubs, and RF subsystems—comparable product set to Mission Microwave but with primary geographic focus on Europe and select international markets.
Others
- ST Engineering iDirect: Supplier of satellite ground infrastructure (modems, hubs, gateways) that interoperates with high-power RF amplifiers like Mission Microwave's; an ecosystem partner rather than direct amplifier competitor, but adjacent in the SATCOM ground segment.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mission Microwave social profiles
Digital presenceMission Microwave financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mission Microwave leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Mission Microwave funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mission Microwave M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mission Microwave
What does Mission Microwave do?
Mission Microwave designs, manufactures, and sells Gallium Nitride (GaN) based Solid State Power Amplifiers (SSPAs) and Block Upconverters (BUCs) for satellite communications applications. Products span X-Band (7.9–8.4 GHz), Ku-Band (13.75–14.5 GHz), and Ka-Band (27.5–31 GHz) with power outputs from 10 watts to 1 kilowatt, packaged in compact, lightweight form factors for ground-based, airborne, and space-based terminal and gateway use.
Is Mission Microwave a public or private company?
Mission Microwave is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Mission Microwave founded?
Mission Microwave was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Mission Microwave based?
Mission Microwave is headquartered in Cypress, United States, in the North America region.
How does Mission Microwave make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales - BUCs and SSPAs are the primary driver. The others are custom/Contract Manufacturing.
Who are Mission Microwave's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Teledyne Paradise Datacom, Comtech Telecommunications, Advantech Wireless (Baylin Technologies) and Communications & Power Industries (CPI). Broad incumbents are Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, L3Harris Technologies, General Dynamics Mission Systems and Hughes Network Systems (EchoStar). ND SatCom (SKY Perfect JSAT subsidiary) is listed as a regional player. ST Engineering iDirect is listed as an others.
Does Mission Microwave have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mission Microwave.
What industry is Mission Microwave in?
Mission Microwave's product category is Satellite Communications RF Power Amplifiers. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHAMAB, Power Amplifiers (PAs) & Envelope Tracking ICs, with a secondary code of HDAHAMAL, Microwave & RF Signal Chain ICs (Mixers/Detectors/Attenuators). Its NAICS code is 335311 and its SIC code is 3677.