The Skynet 5A satellite artist rendering. Photo: Airbus Defence and Space

[Via Satellite 02-17-2016] CopaSAT has become a channel partner of Airbus Defence and Space for Skynet military satellite communications primarily using the relocated Skynet 5A satellite. The company will offer Skynet services to U.S. customers for global security and humanitarian operations.

Airbus Defence and Space relocated Skynet 5A from 6 degrees east to 95 degrees east over the Asia Pacific in September 2015 to provide global X-band and Ultra-High-Frequency (UHF) coverage. The Skynet network now offers global military coverage, expanding core service reach for the U.K. military and augmenting coalition capabilities in the region.

Last year, Airbus Defence and Space worked with CopaSAT, and its terminal partner Tampa Microwave, to conduct a series of successful network tests using the Skynet 5A satellite. CopaSAT teams, using CopaSAT’s teleport infrastructure and Tampa Microwave’s remote manpack and fly-away terminals, as well as various other small terminals, conducted end-to-end testing to confirm operation of an entire network and the performance of Skynet 5A at the new orbital slot.

Airbus Defence and Space owns and operates the hardened Skynet X-band satellite constellation of eight satellites and the ground network to provide Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) communications to the U.K. Ministry of Defence. The contract also allows other NATO and allied governments such as members of the five-eyes community (besides the U.K., the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Canada) to use the Skynet system to augment their existing services.