Inmarsat (ISAT.L) continues to press forward with alacrity the number of global distribution partners for their nexgen SwiftBroadband-Safety aviation service.
Among the latest Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) documents to be approved is the appointment of Satcom Direct (SD) and Honeywell Aerospace (NYSE: HON).
A pre-agreement between the companies outlined the intention for Satcom Direct and Honeywell Aviation to supply aviation operators worldwide with this advanced, new service from Inmarsat that will transform cockpit and aircraft operations. SwiftBroadband-Safety represents a paradigm shift in the advancement of aviation safety services by using secure, IP-based broadband connectivity that far exceeds the capabilities of other alternatives in the market. The ‘always on and always secure’ solution enables a range of breakthrough aviation applications, including flight data streaming (‘Black Box in the Cloud’) and real-time Electronic Flight Bag applications, such as networked graphical weather.
Also enabled is are air traffic management modernization programs throughout the world and fulfills the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)’s Global Aeronautical Distress Safety System (GADSS), including global flight tracking, by offering reliable and secure satellite surveillance and communications (FANS/ACARS). SwiftBroadband-Safety hardware is available for initial retrofit installation on existing aircraft today and will become a standard option on new aircraft deliveries from 2018. The service builds on Inmarsat’s reputation as a provider of high-quality voice and data service to 95 percent of the world’s trans-oceanic aircraft fleet.
Inmarsat’s MoU with Satcom Direct and Honeywell Aerospace marks the latest expansion of the successful partnerships between these companies.
Satcom Direct currently provides the business aviation market with Inmarsat’s Classic Aero safety services and will now be able to provide migration options for existing customers to SwiftBroadband-Safety. Satcom Direct also provides the business aviation market with access to Inmarsat’s current in-flight broadband service for private jet passengers, SwiftBroadband, and their nexgen offering, JetConneX.
Honeywell currently works with Value Added Resellers to provide the business aviation market with Inmarsat’s Classic Aero safety services and will now be able to provide migration options for existing customers to SwiftBroadband-Safety. As is the case for Satcom Direct, Honeywell also provides the business aviation market with access to Inmarsat’s current in-flight broadband service for private jet passengers, SwiftBroadband, and JetConneX. In addition, Honeywell’s JetWave system is the exclusive hardware that connects to Inmarsat’s new GX for Aviation Ka-band broadband solution for passengers.
According to Frederik van Essen, Inmarsat Aviation’s Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, SwiftBroadband-Safety combines the advantages of broadband connectivity with the proven, extremely reliable L-band spectrum to set a new standard in aviation safety. Greater efficiency, reliability and capacity are offered to the cockpit at a lower cost per bit than the firm's trusted Classic Aero service, reflecting Inmarsat’s commitment to delivering the best safety services to commercial airlines and business aviation operators.
van Essen added that SwiftBroadband-Safety has received a lot of industry support, underscored by the firm's recent selection by Airbus for its A320 and A330 aircraft families, and successful ongoing evaluations by Hawaiian Airlines. Other airlines are also excited and have been asking us how to enable these advanced capabilities.