Airbus, BAE Systems and General Dynamics have worked with the U.K. army to develop a concept demonstrator for a new tactical network technology designed to help frontline troops communicate with command headquarters. BAE said Tuesday the service branch awarded the industry team a $1.6 million contract for the development and delivery of two experimental STRIKE Tactical Hotspot systems. The […] More

Airbus has received a contract from the European Space Agency to provide a service demonstrator for the Governmental Satellite Communications program that aims to update satellite communications capability in Europe. The two-year contract consists of a first phase that entails the production of a ground system that can facilitate the sharing of satellite functions as well […] More

The Federal Emergency Management Agency intends to award a sole-source contract to a business unit of Airbus Group‘s defense and space segment to help install the FEMA’s emergency notification system. FEMA said Friday in a FedBizOpps notice it will ask Airbus DS Communications to supply dialogic cards and cables for the company-built VESTA Communicator platform. The contractor will not modify […] More

Airbus’ defense and space business has received a sole-source contract from the U.K. defense ministry to develop, test and launch a military communications satellite, Defense News reported Monday. The Skynet 6A geostationary spacecraft is expected to enter service by mid-2025 and is designed to replace U.K. military satellites in the Skynet 5 constellation that are near the […] More

A joint venture of OneWeb and Airbus’ defense and space business has opened a new facility in Toulouse, France, to support assembly and integration work on a constellation of 900 satellites designed to provide internet communications services. OneWeb Satellites will use the 49,000-square-foot production line to validate manufacturing methods for the low-Earth orbit satellites and help establish […] More

SES has integrated a NASA instrument payload equipped with an ultraviolet imaging spectrograph onto the company’s SES-14 geostationary communications satellite. The Global-Scale Observations of the Limb and Disk instrument’s spectrograph is designed to measure temperatures and densities in the Earth’s ionosphere and thermosphere to investigate ionospheric disruptions to navigation and communication transmissions, SES said Tuesday. SES-14 is built to provide C– […] More

Airbus has formed a new subsidiary that aims to offer aerial imagery services across the energy, agriculture, insurance and state and local government sectors. Airbus Aerial has main offices in the U.S. and Europe and seeks to use aerospace and software platforms in efforts to help customers obtain and analyze data from unmanned aerial vehicles, high-altitude aircraft and satellites, the company […] More

Airbus’ defense and space segment has selected a Northrop Grumman subsidiary to supply mesh reflectors for two of Inmarsat‘s communications satellites. Northrop’s Astro Aerospace business will provide its AstroMesh reflectors for integration with Inmarsat 6 satellites designed to provide L-band communication services, Northrop said Thursday. John Alvarez, general manager of Astro Aerospace, said the company’s […] More

An Intelsat subsidiary has joined a channel partner program of Airbus‘ defense and space segment for military satellite communication services. Intelsat General will offer Skynet X-band and ultra-high-frequency services to the U.S. government under the channel partner agreement, Airbus said Wednesday. Richard Franklin, head of the secure communications business at Airbus Defense and Space, said the new partnership will provide services to customers via the newly […] More

The French defense procurement agency has awarded a team consisting of ENGIE Ineo and Airbus‘ defense and space business an eight-year contract for a communications network that will help manage the air operations of the country’s defense ministry. Airbus said Monday the consortium will support the design, deployment and compliance of the DESCARTES STCA operational telephone and security systems based on air traffic […] More

Airbus‘ defense and space business has delivered satellite communications systems to support military training missions of the European Union in Somalia including the Sahel Niger and Sahel Mali EU capacity building and civilian missions. The company said Thursday it leads the missions on behalf of the EU to support government efforts to boost stability and response to security issues that impact […] More

Rick Lober oversees Hughes Network Systems‘ defense and intelligence systems division as its vice president and general manager with responsibility over sales of satellite communications technologies and services to military and other national security agencies. Lober has advocated for government customers to increase their adoption and usage rates of satcom tools from the commercial arena […] More