The Australian Defence Force has extended its contract with  British satellite telecommunications company Inmarsat until 2027.

Defence Strategic Communications Branch Brigadier Gregory Nova, and Inmarsat Global Government President Todd McDonell shook hands on the $221 million deal on March 30.

The contract provides for hardware and communications services for the ADF, the defence department and Australia’s international partners.

Inmarsat has provided satellite communications services for the ADF for more than three decades.

“This partnership has increased our capability to support wide-ranging ADF operations and provide greatly improved quality of life services for our deployed people,” Brigadier Novak said.

Mr McDonell said the services would support the ADF across the Army, the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force across “any latitude, longitude and altitude.”

Evolving use of satellite tech

 The overall commitment of the contract for satellite services is now $331m over ten years, including options for three two-year extensions to bridge the ADF’s evolving use of satellite technologies.

The current contract includes access to Immersat’s management software package, Operating Monitoring and Control System (OMCS), which will allow Defence to directly control its satellite service use.

The OMCS will  serve as a sovereign virtual satellite operations centre, allowing the ADF to independently allocate resources, track usage and put in place operational changes in real time, Defence says, which will maximise operational outcomes cost efficiencies.