Iridium Communications has initiated on-orbit tests of the company’s broadband service platform built to deliver global L-band connectivity through the NEXT satellite constellation. The company said Thursday it uploaded software to the NEXT satellites that are already in orbit to activate the Iridium Certus communications service. Certus entered live testing Sept. 25 and is slated for commercial […] More

General Atomics’ aeronautical systems business has announced the inclusion of five additional companies to an industry team that will support Australia’s Project Air 7003 that seeks to build a medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft platform. Rockwell Collins‘ Australian arm, Airspeed, Ultra Electronics Australia, Quickstep Holdings and TAE Aerospace have joined Team Reaper Australia, General Atomics said Wednesday. Linden Blue, CEO […] More

Iridium Communications CEO Matt Desch has said the company expects its Certus multi-service communications platform to enter the commercial market in 2018 before the complete Iridium NEXT satellite network becomes fully operational. Desch told Runway Girl Network in an interview published Thursday that Iridium eyes the maritime sector for Certus 350 with plans to introduce Certus 700 to the commercial […] More

Iridium Communications CEO Matt Desch has said the company’s new Certus multi-service communications platform will focus on cockpit and operational services instead of cabin connectivity, Aviation Today reported Friday. Desch, an inductee into Executive Mosaic‘s Wash100 for 2017, said at Iridium’s second-quarter earnings call that Certus is designed to offer a connection speed of up to 350 kilobits […] More

James Willis, currently head of defense and security at Vodafone UK, and Steve Fitz-Gerald, formerly CEO of Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, will join QinetiQ as managing directors for two different business areas. QinetiQ said Tuesday both appointees will also serve on the company’s executive committee and report directly to CEO Steve Wadey. “James and Steve have proven track records of growth in […] More

General Atomics’ aeronautical systems business has partnered with four other companies to support Australia’s Air 7003 project that seeks to build medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft systems and ground control stations for the country’s defense force. Team Reaper Australia is composed of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Cobham, Flight Data Systems and the Australian businesses of CAE and Raytheon. GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue announced the […] More

Northrop Grumman has received a nine-year contract extension to continue to provide maintenance and modification support services for the U.K.’s fleet of airborne early warning and control system aircraft, Defense News reported Thursday. Andrew Chuter writes news on the deal comes after Cohort announced that its MASS subsidiary secured a potential $14.6 million contract to […] More

The Defense Logistics Agency has released a sources sought synopsis as part of its research into vendors that can supply DLA with antennas. DIA approved Boeing and Cobham‘s advanced electronic cage business as potential supply sources and the agency will use data from its market survey to determine the method of procurement for antennas, U.S. Federal Contractor Registration said Wednesday. USFCR added that interested contractors can submit […] More

A new Research and Markets report forecasts the global security robots market to grow to $2.36 billion by 2022 at a compound annual growth rate of 8.56 percent. Research and Markets said Thursday that geopolitical crises, territorial conflicts and adoption of unmanned systems drive the global market for security robots. The report noted that the […] More

Inmarsat CEO Rupert Pearce leads four other panel members from the company who will each participate in a separate talks throughout the four-day Satellite 2016 conference and exhibition this week in Maryland. The company will highlight latest tech and services such as the Global Xpress worldwide constellation that was completed in December designed to provide global […] More

Bernie Elero serves as senior vice president of business development and capture management at AECOM‘s intelligence community business. He joined the company in 2014 and is responsible for helping identify new business opportunities, capture contracts and build relationships with customers in the intelligence market. Before AECOM, Elero held the roles of senior VP and chief […] More

Biff Lyons oversees the national security division of Parsons Corp.’s government services segment in his senior vice president role at the Pasadena, Calif.-headquartered engineering contractor. Lyons joined Parsons in 2011 upon that company’s acquisition of SPARTA, where he held a 13-year career in roles such as VP and operations manager of advanced systems technology operation, as well […] More