Inmarsat, the world leader in global mobile satellite communications, announces that Airbus Defence & Space(Airbus) has been selected as its satellite manufacturing partner as part of a ground-breaking development of its Global Xpress(GX) network that sustains Fleet Xpress maritime broadband connectivity. The partnership will provide a step-change in GX’s capabilities, capacity and agility for the benefit of existing and future Inmarsat customers, partners and investors.
The new geostationary satellites will provide the platform for a transformational upgrade in Fleet Xpress, whose combination of Ka-band plus continuous L-band back-up connectivity is already installed on close to 7,000 ships worldwide helping enable digitalisation at sea.
Inmarsat’s GX network was first designed in 2010 and began global services in 2015. This created the world’s first and only seamless global mobile broadband network. Inmarsat has since grown GX revenues strongly and established leading positions in the emerging global Maritime through Fleet Xpress, Aviation and Government mobile satellite broadband markets, with GX revenues increasing by 85% to $250.9m in 2018. GX is the most successful network for global mobility.
As part of this growth, Fleet Xpress was brought to market in March 2016, with a quartet of fifth generation GX satellites now providing its maritime broadband component via Ka-band, seamlessly backed up by continuous L-band connectivity using Inmarsat’s I-4 satellites. Last year, market analyst Euroconsult indicated that Fleet Xpress is the fastest growing VSAT provider to the maritime industry.
Today’s announcement marks the beginning of the next phase of GX’s evolution, enhancing global mobile broadband coverage with a transformation in network capacity and service capability. This transformation, together with the unparalleled agility of the next-generation satellites, will ensure GX remains at the forefront of innovation for the benefit of customers and partners.
This contract with Airbus is for the manufacture of three next-generation GX satellites(GX7, 8 & 9), with the first scheduled to launch in H1 2023. The level of capital expenditure under this programme is in line with that provided for in our long term planning. As such, there is no change to our overall capex guidance on the back of today’s announcement.