New opportunities for defence firms as EU steps up support for Ukraine
The European Commission is looking for startups and other innovators to address challenges across the land, air and sea domains.
SwiftBroadband gets upgraded by Inmarsat
New enhancements have been revealed by Inmarsat for its SwiftBroadband aeronautical connectivity service.
Inmarsat’s network now supports a new higher speed SwiftBroadband streaming class, which effectively allows an aircraft exclusive use of a satellite bearer. This extra functionality will generally be available above 15 degrees elevation when the satellite resources are available.
The new streaming class is being charged per minute similar to the existing 16, 32, 64 and 128 kbps services. In addition, Inmarsat is introducing new 8 and 16kbps streaming classes together with a dynamic ‘Quality of Service’, allowing onboard applications to use the bandwidth more efficiently.
Lars Ringertz, Inmarsat’s head of marketing for aeronautical business, explained, “After making SwiftBroadband globally available at the end of February last year, we have continued to develop and evolve the service to meet the requirements of specific markets and users. With the introduction of new streaming classes and dynamic ‘Quality of Service’, we have further enhanced SwiftBroadband as an application platform for the whole aircraft, positioning Inmarsat as the only provider capable of delivering safety services, operational applications as well as higher data rate connectivity through a single pipe to the aircraft.”
You may also like
More from Defence Notes
-
![New opportunities for defence firms as EU steps up support for Ukraine]()
-
![Why small guns have been critical to layered CUAS architectures]()
Why small guns have been critical to layered CUAS architectures
Multiple countries have been deploying small arms as the last line of drone defence due to their multiple operational and tactical advantages.
-
![Singapore Airshow 2026: ST Engineering hints at export success for AME assault rifle family]()
Singapore Airshow 2026: ST Engineering hints at export success for AME assault rifle family
The Singapore-based technology company unveiled its new rifle family at this week’s airshow. Chen Chuanren spoke with the ST Engineering’s head of small arms to find out more about how the weapons have been refined.
-
![High tension in the High North – a wake-up call for NATO’s future Arctic defence efforts?]()
High tension in the High North – a wake-up call for NATO’s future Arctic defence efforts?
Any potential ‘Arctic Sentry’ mission would be months in the planning, but with tensions high in the region given the US’s push for Greenland, NATO countries will need to continue to emphasise their commitment to the region, analysts have said.
-
![Venezuela prepares personnel and equipment for a potential second US attack]()
Venezuela prepares personnel and equipment for a potential second US attack
Defence Minister Gen Vladimir Padrino López has declared that the Venezuelan armed forces “will continue to employ all its available capabilities for military defence”.
-
![As the new year starts, the UK defence spending delay continues]()
As the new year starts, the UK defence spending delay continues
The UK’s defence spending commitments remain uncertain as the government’s Defence Investment Plan, which had been due by the end of 2025, is yet to be published.
