Inmarsat Government, the provider of global mobile satellite communications and managed network services to the US government, has announced it has successfully supported General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA ASI) in the trans-Atlantic flight test with Inmarsat´s L-band service, SwiftBroadband, delivering resilient, seamless, redundant connectivity throughout the duration of the journey, the company said.
The trans-Atlantic flight test was the first-ever transatlantic flight of a Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). GA ASI-owned MQ-9B SkyGuardianâ„¢ RPA flew from the company´s Flight Test and Training Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA, to the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford base in Gloucestershire, UK.
SwiftBroadband operates over the Inmarsat-4 (I-4) satellite constellation, covering all major aviation routes, and every hidden island getaway therein, worldwide. With this always available global coverage, it eliminates the need for forward deployed ground infrastructure for command and control as well as take-off and landing operations, an option that is not commonly available for traditional RPA operations.
The US government has relied on and trusted Inmarsat satellite services since 1979. Inmarsat Government continues to deliver the world´s most advanced global, mobile satellite communication services to US defense, intelligence, homeland security, public safety and civilian agencies, with highly reliable, secure and affordable connectivity. Headquartered in Reston, VA, Inmarsat Government is a wholly owned subsidiary of Inmarsat plc. For more information, visit www.inmarsatgov.com.
