Senior Software Engineer

ST engineering iDirect at ATxSG 2026: Agentic AI, autonomous networks & the future of global connectivity. At ATxSG 2026, Tara Neal, Executive Editor of The Fast Mode, sat down with Sridhar Kuppanna, Chief Executive Officer of ST Eengineering iDirect, to discuss the future of AI-driven connectivity. Sridhar highlighted the shift from AI experimentation to autonomous operations, the convergence of satellite, cloud, edge, and terrestrial networks through 5G NTN, and the growing role of agentic AI, automation, and quantum-safe security in building intelligent, resilient networks. Tara: By 2026, enterprises are demanding real-world AI outcomes rather than experimentation - what technologies will define the next phase of scalable AI deployment globally? Sridhar: Enterprises are moving past AI pilots and into AI-powered operations - and the technologies that matter now are the ones that deliver measurable outcomes at scale. For satcom and hybrid networks, that means three things: * Domain-specific AI that understands the unique behaviors of satellite networks, not generic models trained on unrelated data * Closed-loop automation that can predict, decide, and act without human intervention * Unified data platforms that normalize telemetry across multi-orbit, multi-vendor environments The next phase of AI isn't about bigger models - it's about AI that is embedded into the network fabric, continuously learning, optimizing, and resolving issues in real time. This is what moves operators toward self-healing, autonomous networks, and it's where we see the most immediate value emerging. Tara: How are cloud, AI, edge, and telecom infrastructure converging, and what new ecosystem partnerships will become critical over the next five years? Sridhar: We're entering a convergence era where satellite, terrestrial, cloud, and edge networks operate as one integrated system - and 5G NTN is the catalyst. Three shifts define this convergence: * 5G NTN alignment is creating a common standards-based framework for interoperability across space and terrestrial networks * Cloud-native architectures are enabling elastic scaling, distributed intelligence, and faster service innovation * AI at the network level is driving real-time decision-making and more adaptive performance, essential for mobility, defense, and remote operations. This convergence is reshaping partnerships. Operators will increasingly collaborate with: * Cloud hyperscalers for distributed compute and AI model hosting * Mobile network operators to deliver seamless hybrid connectivity * Device and terminal manufacturers to embed NTN-ready intelligence at the edge * AI platform providers to accelerate automation and orchestration The winners will be the ecosystems that can deliver a unified, standards-driven, multi-access, multi-orbit experience - not isolated networks. Tara: Looking ahead, which emerging technologies - from agentic AI to quantum, spatial computing, or autonomous infrastructure - are most likely to reshape industries at scale? Sridhar: For satcom and global connectivity, the most transformative technologies will be the ones that enable autonomous infrastructure - networks that can sense, decide, and act on their own. Three stand out: * Agentic AI that can reason, plan, and execute multi-step operational tasks across complex networks * Autonomous network frameworks that combine AI, telemetry, and closed-loop automation to deliver self-optimizing, self-healing operations * Quantum-safe security to protect multi-orbit networks as threats evolve Spatial computing and immersive interfaces will also play a role - especially in remote operations, defense, and field maintenance - but the real industry-wide shift will come from AI-driven autonomy. As networks become more dynamic and multi-orbit, human-driven operations simply won't scale. The next decade belongs to intelligent, autonomous infrastructure that can adapt in real time and deliver predictable performance anywhere on the planet. Tara Neal is the Executive Editor and Telecom Strategist of The Fast Mode. She has more than 26 years of experience in research, analysis and strategy planning. Tara has worked on various strategy projects covering business strategies and performance management. She has written extensively on various topics relating to the latest technologies, digital services innovations, operator strategies, market trends and the development of various emerging sectors. Tara holds a First Class Honours in BSc Accounting and Finance from The London School of Economics, UK and is a CFA charterholder from the CFA Institute, United States. The Fast Mode 9658 likes TWEETS 28.4K FOLLOWING 3479 FOLLOWERS 13.2K

Parry Labs hires Claussen as chief executive. Parry Labs' new CEO Don Claussen most recently led the U.S. federal arm of Singapore Technologies Engineering. Parry Labs photo. Stay Connected Find opportunities - and win them. May 28, 2026 02:22 PM ET The defense technology integrator is entering a new phase less than two years after its first institutional investment round. Parry Labs has hired a new chief executive in Don Claussen, a nearly two-decade defense technology veteran who joins after three years as CEO of ST Engineering iDirect. Claussen succeeds co-founder John "JD" Parkes, who has moved to executive chairman of the board of directors. Parry Labs said Wednesday that Parkes continues to focus on the company's long-term strategy, while Claussen will assume responsibility for leading the business day-to-day. This transition takes almost two years after Parry Labs completed its first institutional investment round that collected $80 million in capital from investors. Parry Labs planned to put a majority of that capital toward efforts in command-and-control, interoperability and artificial intelligence. Parkes and his colleague Robert Miller started Parry Labs in 2016 to bring together open architecture software and smaller-form hardware into a digital framework for military operators. As its new CEO, Claussen will lead the next phase of Parry Labs' efforts to scale the company's market presence and operating model. "Now more than ever, it is paramount to build mission outcomes at speed and scale," Parkes said in a release. "As we, Parry, have continued to grow, I am happy to bring a new CEO and leader that will help us do that." "As the (Defense Department) shifts its priorities, I am excited to help position Parry within this evolving opportunity space," added Claussen. "The defense industry needs exactly these capabilities right now: open architecture, edge compute, C2, and integrated systems with the warfighter at the center." More recently, Claussen led the U.S. government-focused subsidiary of Singapore Technologies Engineering in its push to expand across federal satellite communications programs. Claussen's career in industry also includes leadership roles at Intelsat General, that satellite network operator's U.S. government subsidiary, plus L3Harris Technologies and Intelsat.

iDirect Government launches WCore to virtualize military satellite modems. May 19, 2026 On May 18, 2026, defense satellite communications provider iDirect Government announced the release of WCore, a virtualized waveform core and hardware abstraction layer designed for military satellite communications (MILSATCOM). The software tool transforms traditional, single-purpose hardware appliances into multi-waveform software-defined modems (SDMs) that can operate across multiple satellite constellations and orbital planes. Software-Defined agility and hardware abstraction. The introduction of WCore addresses a long-standing bottleneck in military communications: the rigidity of hardware-dependent satellite modems. Historically, switching between different communication networks or waveforms required field operators to swap out physical line-replaceable units or maintain multiple parallel hardware stacks inside tactical vehicles and command posts. WCore eliminates this complexity by virtualizing the underlying hardware interface. By creating a standardized abstraction layer between the physical processing circuits and the operational software, WCore allows different satellite waveforms to run as software applications on a unified compute platform. This approach enables defense developers to rapidly deploy, scale, and update communication protocols without needing to redesign or replace the physical modem hardware. Multi-Waveform support across 16 networks. The software layer is natively integrated into iDirectGov's 4-Series hardware line, but it is engineered to be vendor-agnostic and deployable across high-density hub baseband appliances or standardized cloud-based software-defined modems. The WCore framework provides tactical flexibility by supporting approximately 16 distinct military and commercial waveforms simultaneously, including: * Evolution Defense and Sovereign platforms * Viasat Global Xpress (GX) and SES Flex commercial networks * Standard DVB-S2X high-throughput protocols * The Enhanced Bandwidth Efficient Modem (EBEM) architecture This diverse protocol support allows frontline personnel to maintain continuous command and control connectivity by rapidly switching between different satellite systems as they move through a theater of operations or encounter localized electronic jamming. Centrally managed shared security services. Beyond providing interoperability, WCore functions as a shared-services engine, making critical security and anti-jamming capabilities uniformly accessible to every waveform running on the platform. Rather than requiring developers to program security features into each individual waveform, WCore applies them universally at the system layer. These shared tactical capabilities include Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) compliance and robust transmission security (TRANSEC) protocols to prevent adversaries from intercepting or analyzing communication metadata. It also integrates Open AMIP and BMIP antenna-to-modem interface protocols alongside iDirectGov's proprietary Communication Signal Interference Removal (CSIR) technology, which dynamically identifies and excises interfering signal spikes to maintain link stability during active electronic warfare attacks. Multi-Orbit resiliency for modern warfare. The rollout of WCore aligns directly with the U.S. Department of Defense's shift toward multi-orbit, resilient satellite architectures. Modern defense missions increasingly require a single terminal to seamlessly route data across an integrated network of Geostationary (GEO), Highly Elliptical (HEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations. Tim Winter, President of iDirect Government, emphasized that today's defense landscape demands seamless interoperability. He noted that WCore enables continuous command and control communications coverage throughout a theater by abstracting hardware complexity and accelerating third-party application integration. By simplifying the inclusion of third-party software onto a single compute platform, WCore aims to provide a unified toolset for the next generation of highly contested, multi-orbit military communications.