Global Xpress graphic. Photo: Inmarsat

Inmarsat, selected Airbus Defense and Space (Airbus) as its satellite manufacturing partner as part of a development of its Global Xpress (GX) network. The partnership aims to provide a step-change in GX’s capabilities, capacity, and agility for the benefit of existing and future Inmarsat customers, partners, and investors.

Inmarsat’s GX network was first designed in 2010 and began global services in 2015.  Inmarsat has since grown GX revenues  and establisheda position in the emerging global Maritime, Aviation, and Government mobile satellite broadband markets, with GX revenues increasing by 85 percent to $250.9 million in 2018. This contract with Airbus is for the manufacture of three next-generation GX satellites (GX7, 8, 9), with the first scheduled to launch in H1 2023.

“Worldwide demand for mobile broadband connectivity has grown exponentially in recent years and we expect this trend to continue. This next phase in the evolution of our GX network provides a dynamic and powerful answer to the challenges created by this growth in demand, building on the strong foundations we have already established,” said Inmarsat CEO Rupert Pearce. “Significantly, our new approach in collaboration with Airbus and other technology partners will provide us with much greater velocity and agility with which to respond to future competitive challenges and to adopt new technologies on a highly dynamic, rolling basis.