Flexible Thinking: Rules of Thumb—A Word to the Wise
Happy’s Tech Talk #29: Bend-to-Install Semi-flex FR-4
Connect the Dots: Five Best Practices for Designing Flex and Rigid-flex PCBs
Airbus to Provide UK Ministry of Defence with Next-generation Satellite Modems for Skynet MILSATCOM
November 26, 2024 | AirbusEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Airbus has signed a contract with the UK’s Ministry of Defence to provide the next-generation modems for the nation’s Skynet satellite communications constellation.
The new modems are delivered for the Future Protected Modem Type-A project. They will replace the current Paradigm Modem System, support the Skynet 5 satellites and the yet-to-be-launched Skynet 6A satellite, and will provide several significant capability enhancements.
The new-generation, sovereign modem has been designed, developed and manufactured in the UK.
Barry Austin, Head of the MOD’s Defence Digital Skynet programme, said: “We are very pleased that following a competition for the future, resilient satellite communications modem for UK Ministry of Defence, that an 18-year contract for design, manufacture and through-life support for this critical capability has been awarded. Building on their long heritage, this new Airbus-produced modem will ensure that the Skynet system continues to deliver world-class Military Satellite Communications to Front Line Commands and our deployed operational personnel worldwide.”
The FPMA Modem advanced Software-Defined Radio (SDR) system combines multiple techniques to provide a highly resilient solution, and is capable of hosting multiple waveforms. It will deliver safe and secure internet protocol (IP) communications on all commonly-used frequency bands, including X-band.
Richard Budd, Vice-President Space Digital Secure Connectivity UK, US and Asia, said: “This capability allows Airbus to continue to play a critical role in the provision of safe, secure, resilient and sovereign satellite communications capability for the UK, especially relevant in the current and dynamic operating environment.
“In particular, the FPMA modem enables capability evolution in response to more sophisticated threats and will do so at sea and on the ground. It’s a fundamental step towards secure Multi Domain Operations.”
The Future Protected Modem-A is due to enter service in 2026, supported and enabled by integrated logistics support and training solutions. The modem includes an intuitive and secure Network Management System, to ensure effective use of the spectrum and to monitor and control all the equipment.
Share on:
Suggested Items
U.S. Navy Awards Comtech $50 Million SLM-5650B Modem Contract
11/15/2024 | BUSINESS WIREComtech Telecommunications Corp., a global technology leader, announced today that the U.S. Navy Information Warfare Systems Command awarded the Company a sole source contract for Comtech’s U.S sovereign software-defined SLM-5650B satellite communications (SATCOM) modems, upgrade kits, firmware options and technical support.
Qualcomm Unveils the World’s Most Advanced 5G Modem-RF System, Harnessing Integrated AI to Enable the Next Generation of 5G
03/04/2024 | Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., has been a leader in 5G technologies since inception, and today is continuing to set the pace of innovation by announcing the Snapdragon® X80 5G Modem-RF System, the seventh generation of its 5G modem-to-antenna solution.
Keysight, MediaTek Successfully Complete 5G New Radio and RedCap Interoperability Testing
11/23/2023 | BUSINESS WIREKeysight Technologies, Inc. and MediaTek have successfully completed 5G New Radio (NR) and 5G reduced capability (RedCap) interoperability development testing (IODT) based on the 3GPP Release 17 (Rel-17) standard. The testing verified the latest MediaTek 5G modem technologies using Keysight’s 5G Network Emulation Solutions.
Qualcomm Propels Global Expansion of 5G RedCap with Snapdragon X35 5G Modem-RF System
11/08/2023 | Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.As the world’s first announced commercial release 17 5G RedCap modem-RF system, the Snapdragon® X35 5G Modem-RF System continues to fuel the expansion of the 5G ecosystem by enabling global mobile network operators and OEMs to enable new devices, form factors, and experiences.
U.S. Army Awards Comtech $48.6M for Next Generation EDIM SATCOM Solutions
10/04/2023 | BUSINESS WIREComtech announced the company was recently awarded a $48.6 million contract to deliver Enterprise Digital Intermediate Frequency Multi-Carrier (EDIM) modems in support of U.S. Army satellite communications (SATCOM) digitization and modernization programs.