November 15, 2021-- Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ: CMTL), a leading global provider of next-generation 911 emergency systems and secure wireless communications technologies, today announced that it has joined the Digital Intermediate Frequency Interoperability (“DIFI”) Consortium, an independent space industry group formed to advance interoperability in satellite and ground system networks. Comtech joins a growing roster of leading organizations in the space industry coming together to form the DIFI Consortium. These organizations are contributing to the innovation of digital transformation of space, satellite and related technologies for the benefit of the space industry.

“We are pleased to announce that we have joined the DIFI Consortium,” said Michael Porcelain, President and Chief Operating Officer of Comtech Telecommunications Corp. “Comtech has a long heritage of supporting new standards and has provided support and guidance on numerous technologies that have enabled the satellite community and its stakeholders to connect our world.”

Comtech is a leading innovator in satellite technology and the advancement of satellite connectivity and standards. The DIFI Consortium is committed to developing a new standard for a digital interface that will allow users to connect digital baseband equipment and RF or edge devices, located at the satellite antenna or uplink center, over a digital medium eliminating lossy IF cable runs and enabling users to remove the constraint that has always required digital and RF equipment to co-exist within close proximity. The new digital interface standard will allow lossless switching between antennas and geographically diverse systems as well as enable the use of low-cost COTS switches and interconnect devices. This will greatly reduce cost and complexity and will be highly desirable at complex hub or gateway locations.

DIFI’s chairman Stuart Daughtridge, SVP of Advanced Technology at Kratos stated, “Comtech is a major maker of satellite ground system equipment. Their addition to the DIFI Consortium and our working groups is most welcomed and a clear sign of industry acceptance of the importance of interoperability and support for the DIFI standard.”

About the Digital IF Interoperability Consortium

The Digital IF Interoperability Consortium (“DIFI”) is an independent, international group of companies, organizations and government agencies that have an interest in the interoperability of networks and ground systems supporting space-based operations. Launched in coordination with the IEEE-ISTO, DIFI’s mission is to enable the digital transformation of space, satellite and related industries through a simple, interoperable Digital IF/RF standard that accelerates industry transformation from L-Band IF to Digital IF, while discouraging vendor lock-in. DIFI promotes standards in all satellite application areas where systems interoperability is needed or beneficial, including satcom, earth observation, remote sensing, TT&C, and more. The founding members of DIFI include Hawkeye 360, Intelsat Corp., Kongsberg Satellite Services AS (“KSAT”), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc., Microsoft, and the U.S. Navy. The DIFI board has approved version 1.0 of an 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/.

About Comtech

Comtech Telecommunications Corp. is a leading global provider of next-generation 911 emergency systems and secure wireless communications technologies to commercial and government customers around the world. Headquartered in Melville, New York and with a passion for customer success, Comtech designs, produces and markets advanced and secure wireless solutions. For more information, please visit www.comtechtel.com.

Certain information in this press release contains statements that are forward-looking in nature and involve certain significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from such forward-looking information. The Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings identify many such risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking information in this press release is qualified in its entirety by the risks and uncertainties described in such Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

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