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DIFI Consortium

A non-profit industry group created to advance interoperability and enable the digital transformation of space, satellite and related ground system networks, the Digital Intermediate Frequency Interoperability (DIFI) Consortium was formed in July 2021 as a member program of ISTO.  DIFI was founded by Board members Hawkeye 360, Intelsat Corp., Kongsberg Satellite Services AS (KSAT), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc., Kymeta Corp. and Microsoft Corp., as well founding government members the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy.

According to Stuart Daughtridge, SVP of Advanced Technology at Kratos who serves as DIFI’s Board chair, “Framework standards exist today for digital IF, but they do not assure interoperability between vendor systems. DIFI’s goal is to create and promote easy-to-implement standards for Digital IF systems that will enable satellite operators, including commercial and government operators, to confidently design, build, operate and evolve multi-vendor satellite networks and ground systems.”

In 2021, DIFI ratified and introduced to the satellite industry its first industry Standard, ISTO Std 4900-2021:  Digital IF Interoperability Standard, v1.0 2021. A simple, open, interoperable digital IF/RF Standard, this standard replaces the inherent interoperability of analog IF signals and helps prevent vendor lock-in. Since then, the Standard has evolved and been optimized to v1.3 published in 2025. DIFI is working on its certificastion program with performance testing for digital ground systems.

DIFI continues to support its mission and promote its value at its annual Plugfest events and at its annual Digital Transformation Workshop held in October at the MILCOM industry conference.