Airbus already holds a contract valued at more than £500 million ($610 million) for SKYNET 6A, a future military communications satellite planned for launch in 2025 and based on the manufacturer’s Eurostar Neo telecommunications satellite platform.
Companies bidding in the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) Skynet Enduring Capability (SKEC) Wideband Satellite System (WSS) programme have been revealed. The SKEC WSS capability will eventually replace the MoD's existing satcom fleet, such as Sk.