Rendering of the Skynet 6A satellite for the UK MoD. Photo: Airbus

Airbus has signed a contract with the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence to provide the next-generation modems for the nation’s Skynet satellite communications constellation.

Airbus is building the Skynet 6A satellite for the MoD under a 500 million pound contract announced in 2020. Skynet is a milsatcom system for the MoD that provides beyond line of sight communications to the U.K. military.  

The new modems are part of the Future Protected Modem Type A project. They will replace the current Paradigm Modem System, support the Skynet 5 satellites and the upcoming Skynet 6A satellite. The Future Protected Modem-A is due to enter service in 2026. Airbus said the FPMA Modem advanced software-defined radio system hosts multiple waveforms and delivers secure internet protocol (IP) on all commonly used frequency bands including X-band. 

Airbus Defence Digital Commercial Director Victoria Cope said this contract is an integral part the segment’s enterprise space category pipeline. 

“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 U.K., especially relevant in the current dynamic operating environment,” commented Richard Budd, vice president Space Digital Secure Connectivity for UK, US, and Asia. “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.”