GovWire

About SKYNET

SKYNET is the MODs satellite communications (SATCOM) capability, and in particular a family of military communications satellites which provide strategic communication services to the UK Armed Forces and our allies. The SKYNET 5 satellites are the most recent generation of UK military satellites.

The SKYNET 6 Programme is exploiting technological advances to deliver the next generation of military communication satellites to MOD, together with the equipment and services needed to monitor, protect, control and exploit them. SKYNET 6 satellites will be complemented by commercial satellite communication services - together providing reliable, robust, agile and collaborative communication service, ensuring defence is connected globally.

SKYNET 6 - the UK Governments largest space initiative

Vision Statement: Providing world-leading satellite communications on demand to enable military strategic effects against current and evolving threats.

With the UK National Space Strategy (September 2021) giving clear scope, goals and objectives (pillars), including to protect and defend UK interests in space and sustain the UKs competitive edge in space, SKYNET 6 is of strategic importance to both UK Space Command and the UK Space Agency (UKSA) in delivering these outcomes.

As set out in the National Space Strategy and the Defence Space Strategy (February 2022), over 5 billion is being invested in the SKYNET programme over the next ten years. This represents the largest government investment in UK Space Industry. This outlay will provide high-quality and fully assured military SATCOM for our armed forces, allies and other government users. In return, NATO members will offer reciprocal use of each others satellites.

SKYNET 6 primary objectives:

• enable orchestrated multi-domain operations through resilient and agile global services
• support MOD in building a world-class space workforce
• contribute to the UK prosperity agenda for space
• ensure the UK has the capability to operate effectively in a congested and contested space domain
• contribute to achieving the UK Governments net zero carbon emissions target by 2050

The strategic importance of SKYNET 6

SKYNET includes the UKs sovereign military SATCOM capability.It provides the global, assured, resilient and robust strategic communications systems needed and supports the growing demand for a full spectrum of services from high data-rate intelligence systems to welfare amenities.

SKYNET 6 will bring about a step-change both in capacity and protection to meet the armed forces need to communicate and operate globally in an increasingly contested environment. It is a core enabler of UK Strategic Commands focus to deliver information advantage and superiority in both standing tasks and contingent operations.

SKYNET 6 will adhere to the concept of Allied by design through continued engagement with NATO, Five Eyes (AUS, CAN, NZ, UK, US) and other mission partners. This will ensure SKYNET 6 maintains and extends interoperability with allies, to provide additional resilience and contribute equitably to enable multinational operations.

Key SATCOM capability segments

SATCOM can be simplified into 3 segments, which together deliver capability. These are:

1. Space segment: The space segment comprises satellite constellations in space.
2. Ground segment: The ground segment comprises terrestrial facilities that are used to launch, direct and control satellites and operate their payloads.
3. User segment: The user segment is the ground, air and maritime terminals which provide users with access to satellite communications.

About SKYNET 5

SKYNET 5, which provided most of the current SATCOM capability, was delivered by the SKYNET 5 Public Finance Initiative (PFI), which was awarded to Airbus Defence and Space (originally Paradigm Secure Communications) in 2003. The current constellation of four SKYNET 5 satellites provides X-Band Super High Frequency (SHF - strategic long-haul communications); and Ultra High Frequency (UHF - tactical communications) user services.

The SKYNET 6 Programme

SKYNET 6 was established to provide new space-based communications capabilities out to 2041 from the end of the SKYNET 5 PFI service. SKYNET 6 is a Category A programme within the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP); it is run by Defence Digital, sponsored jointly by UK Strategic Command and UK Space Command.

The SKYNET 6 Programme provides military hardened SATCOM to defence, OGDs and allies. It directly underpins the armed forces capability to communicate and operate globally.

The programme comprises of projects split between two core streams:

• delivering new commercial arrangements for the management and delivery of the SATCOM service
• acquiring capability across the Space, Ground and User segments to enhance and sustain sovereign SATCOM capabilities

Projects

SKYNET 6A

The SKYNET 6A satellite is being manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space UK and will be launched by SpaceX in 2025.

SKYNET Service Continuity Contract (SSCC)

The SSCC was an interim contract with Airbus Defence and Space Ltd to maintain the SATCOM service and address critical technical issues between the conclusion of the PFI and start of the Service Delivery Wrap (SDW) on 1 March 2024.

Service Delivery Wrap (SDW)

The Service Delivery Wrap (SDW) contract was awarded in February 2023 to a consortium named Team Aurora, led by Babcock in partnership with SES, GovSat and Intelsat. The service commenced on the 1 March 2024 after a 12-month mobilisation period and will run for five years.

Ground and User Segments

There are modernisation projects for both the ground and user segments, including a range of new terminals and modems.

SKYNET 6 Enduring Capability

SKYNET 6 Enduring Capability will deliver the SKYNET 6 satellites after SKYNET 6A. Procurements are in progress to deliver a Narrowband (UHF) Satcom System (NSS) and a Wideband Satellite System (WSS). These, together with SKYNET 6A, will deliver the SKYNET 6 space segment capability from 2026 out to the 2040s and beyond. SKYNET 6 Enduring Capability is supplementing these military satellite communications with access to allied and commercial satellite communication services.

SKYNET Integrated Enterprise Solution (SKIES)

SKIES will establish more effective ways of working with industry. SKIES will also provide the ground services after SDW.

Get involved with theSKYNET 6Programme

Space technology is always advancing and, while we have fixed the user requirements for the military satellites in procurement, the SKYNET 6 network will continue to incorporate new commercial services. We also want to clarify which new technologies need to be incorporated in our next generations of military satellites, encouraging technology readiness where appropriate. The MOD SKYNET 6 team would like to work with innovators in industry, academia and OGDs, and with our closest allies, to understand new trends and new opportunities and to encourage research and development.

To meet the needs of SKYNET 6, we are currently investigating:

• new ideas, capabilities and services
• the exploitation of our existing systems and information
• terminals, ground equipment and other infrastructure
• ways to improve our network efficiency and customer satisfaction
• tools and technologies to deal with risks, hazards and hostile threats
• combinations of the best available military and civilianSATCOMservices
• new technologies to invest in, develop and encourage
• future technologies and ways to improve the management of our core network

Industry and OGD engagements for SKYNET 6,