The Skynet 6A military communications satellite for the UK MoD has successfully passed the Preliminary Design Review stage.
Skynet 6A can now proceed towards a Critical Design Review (CDR) before its expected launch date of 2025, prime contractor Airbus Defence and Space UK (Airbus DS UK) announced on 14 January.
The MoD awarded a contract worth more than £500 million ($637.34 million) to Airbus DS for development test and launch of the Skynet 6A geostationary satellite.
The satellite will use the Airbus Eurostar Neo telecommunications satellite platform coupled with electric orbit raising propulsion and station-keeping systems.
Skynet 6A is part of the broader Skynet 6 SATCOM programme, which the MoD plans as a successor to the Skynet 5 constellation.
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The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.
DARPA’s Mission-Integrated Network Control (MINC) programme was set up to develop an autonomous tactical network and enable critical data flow in contested environments.
Why space is an essential part of modern military capabilities
Defence-secure mixed reality headsets can save hours, or even weeks, of travel time to fix defunct equipment or get subject experts effectively “on-site” where they are needed.
The Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) and Drone Restricted Access Using Known Electromagnetic Warfare (DRAKE) counter-UAS (CUAS) systems are mounted and dismounted RF jammers.
Adarga’s Vantage information analysis tool is in service with the UK MoD and individual UK forces. It builds on the company’s Knowledge Platform which processes, organises and analyses open source material, as well as information held by the user’s military, security and intelligence services.
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