Circuits Integrated Hellas (CIH), a pioneering innovator in advanced satellite communication (Satcom) technology, announced the CI-ONE family of small-form-factor integrated PA + SPDT modules. Positioned among the industry’s most advanced integrated PA + SPDT solutions for Ka-band applications, CI-ONE delivers ultra-fast (5 ns) switching speeds for next-generation Satcom architectures vital in 5G/6G, radar, and aerospace applications.
“Building on the commercial momentum and integration philosophy behind our Kythrion™ platform, CI-ONE represents the next step in RF front-end innovation,” said CIH co-founder and CEO Paolo Fioravanti. “This new product family significantly advances integration in Ka-band power amplification, one of the most cost-sensitive and performance-demanding segments in satellite communication.”
Redefining Ka-band RF Integration
Conventional switched Ka-band transmit front-ends rely on discrete power amplifiers and RF switches, increasing PCB area, system cost, thermal complexity, and design effort. CI-ONE collapses these functions into a single, compact, surface-mount module, integrating a high-performance power amplifier and SPDT switch in one optimized device. As a result, the modules are approximately 3× smaller, up to 50% less costly, and up to 20% more efficient than conventional discrete PA + SPDT implementations, delivering exceptional performance for Satcom applications.
This integration-driven approach directly addresses a rapidly expanding market opportunity. The total addressable SPDT + PA market is projected to grow at a CAGR of nearly 10%, from US $530–648 million in 2026 to US $1.3–1.8 billion by 2035. Much of this growth is driven by Ka-band deployments across commercial VSAT, defense multi-band terminals, and emergency response systems. Moreover, the market for gallium arsenide (GaAs)-based RF switches and amplifiers, expected to reach US $400 million by 2035, is driven by five major application segments—all key target segments for CI-ONE: commercial high-throughput satellite, maritime, in-flight connectivity, defense multi-band systems and emergency response.
Key Performance Features
Fabricated using a GaAs pHEMT process, the CI-ONE family operates from a 6V supply and supports three output power classes—30 dBm, 34 dBm and 36 dBm variants—enabling design flexibility across 1W, 2W, and 4W system requirements. With fast switching performance of 5 ns and efficiency of approximately 22% at the 1 dB compression point (P1dB), CI-ONE enables agile transmit architectures without sacrificing power-added efficiency.
By replacing multiple MMIC configurations with a single integrated solution, CI-ONE reduces component count, simplifies routing and shortens development cycles, and allows OEMs to scale power levels while preserving PCB reuse—critical for high-volume terminal platforms.
The launch of CI-ONE represents another key milestone along CIH’s roadmap. In November 2025, the company expanded into the U.K. by becoming a member of Space South Central, one of the region’s largest space clusters. CIH will seek opportunities to move CI-ONE to high-volume manufacture as CI-ONE engagement and implementation escalates. CIH will participate at Space-Comm Expo Europe in London this week, March 4–5, with Space South Central.
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