Key Points
- 01UK MoD is running a SKYNET 6 competition for new military satellites
- 02Airbus (AIRp) Defence & Space UK and Lockheed Martin (LMT) UK are confirmed contenders
- 03Contract spans satellites, ground infrastructure and launch services
- 04Tender stresses UK access to critical space technologies and local capability
MoD advances SKYNET 6 procurement
The UK Ministry of Defence is in the process of selecting a contractor for the next generation of SKYNET military communications satellites under the SKYNET 6 programme. The competition will determine who supplies a new broadband satellite system to support secure communications for the British Armed Forces and allied users.
The procurement encompasses not only the satellites themselves but also associated ground infrastructure and launch services. This integrated approach is intended to deliver a complete end to end communications capability under a single, large defence contract.
Airbus and Lockheed Martin compete for the contract
Airbus (AIRp) Defence & Space UK and Lockheed Martin (LMT) UK have been confirmed as participants in the competition to win the SKYNET 6 contract. Both are vying to secure a role at the centre of the UK’s future military satellite communications architecture.
The Financial Times reports that the SKYNET 6 procurement could be worth up to £2 billion. The scale of the programme makes the competition significant for the UK defence and space industrial base, as well as for the chosen prime contractor.
Industrial policy and UK technology priorities
Tender terms for SKYNET 6 place a strong emphasis on the United Kingdom’s access to critical space technologies. Requirements highlight the need to maintain domestic capability in sensitive areas of satellite design and operation.
The documents also underline the importance of development, assembly and testing being carried out in the UK, irrespective of which bidder wins. This focus is intended to ensure that domestic facilities and skills remain central to the SKYNET 6 programme over its lifecycle.
Role of SKYNET 6A in the wider programme
Alongside the main competition, Airbus (AIRp) is already building a separate satellite, SKYNET 6A, for the SKYNET programme. This satellite forms part of the broader effort to modernise and extend the UK’s military communications capabilities.
The coexistence of the competitive SKYNET 6 tender and the ongoing SKYNET 6A build illustrates how the overall programme combines near term satellite delivery with a longer term contract for a full system, including future spacecraft, ground systems and launches.
Key Takeaways
- 01SKYNET 6 is a large, system level procurement that ties together satellites, ground networks and launch services under one contract.
- 02The competition between Airbus and Lockheed Martin (LMT) unfolds within a framework that requires significant work to be done in the UK.
- 03By stressing domestic access to critical technologies, the tender aims to align defence procurement with national industrial and security priorities.