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The primes have agreed to collaborate in support of the UK’s next-generation military SATCOM capability.
Airbus and Northrop Grumman have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), announcing a joint bid to support the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) SKYNET Enduring Capability (SKEC) military satellite communications requirements.
The companies aim to leverage their respective experience in the sector to deliver space and ground segments of the SKYNET architecture.
The team is proposing to address future SKYNET requirements in cooperation with industry, leveraging the “allied by design” approach.
“Northrop Grumman is a key partner in our offer to address the service delivery wrap for future SKYNET services and an established international partner and supplier to the US Space Force,” Richard Franklin, managing director Airbus Defence and Space UK, said.
“Signing this MOU with them is the next logical step to provide the next-generation of solutions to the UK MOD – providing access to key US technologies and capabilities with Airbus’ world leading defence solutions.
“Building on our recent SDA partnership, our combined proven experience across all domains of secure beyond line-of-sight communications, including our track record on the SKYNET 5 program for the past 18 years, gives our team truly unique capabilities to be a partner for MOD.”
Tom Wilson, president, Northrop Grumman space sector, welcomed the opportunity to further enhance cooperation between the companies.
“This teaming agreement builds on the strong Northrop Grumman/Airbus relationship and the recent award of Airbus to provide 42 satellite buses for the Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL) constellation Northrop Grumman is developing for the US Space Development Agency,” Wilson said.
Led by Airbus, the SKYNET 5 program aims to provide the UK with a suite of highly robust, reliable and secure military communications services.
In July 2020, Airbus secured a contract to design and build the SKYNET 6A satellite to supplement the existing SKYNET 5 fleet of four satellites.
[Related: Airbus backs long-haul AIC approach for JP 9102 push]
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