SKYNET 6 Enduring Capability (SKEC) Programme
Information about the Ministry of Defence (MOD) SKYNET 6 Enduring Capability (SKEC) Programme, which will deliver the next generation of military satellites to provide strategic connectivity for the UK Armed Forces.
About the SKYNET 6 Programme
SKYNET is the MOD’s satellite communications (SATCOM) capability, and specifically a family of military communications satellites which provide strategic communication services to the UK Armed Forces and our allies. The SKYNET 5 satellites are the most recent generation of UK military satellites.
The SKYNET 6 Programme is exploiting technological advances to deliver the next generation of military communication satellites to MOD. The SKEC project will deliver the next era of SATCOM to the MOD using new space assets, and a way to monitor and control them. These assets will also be supported by additional commercial services to provide a reliable and robust communications service.
About SKEC
The MOD SKEC team are delivering the future of the MOD’s satellite communications capabilities. New technologies and services in the space sector are emerging all the time, along with new threats, risks and hazards as space gets more congested and contested.
In the same way that mobile phones need more data and bandwidth, with every new user and new technology, so do military communications; and these demands are growing quickly.
To meet these additional demands, the MOD SKEC team need to build a network of satellites, ground stations and other user services to provide first-class communications for government, allies and especially our defence personnel, whether they’re on operational duty or keeping in touch with family and friends while deployed.
The SKEC space segment will consist of two separate procurements, as follows:
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A Narrowband Satellite System (NSS) requirement which will be delivered through a dedicated satellite, known as the ‘SKYNET 6 Enduring Capability Narrowband Satellite System’ (SKEC NSS). Beyond-Line-of-Sight UHF narrowband communications remains a core element of the MOD’s SATCOM portfolio, and this procurement is for a single UHF geosynchronous satellite and its control system. The satellite is required to meet NATO STANAG 4681 Ed 2 and/or MIL-STD-188-100 standards.
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A Wideband Satellite System requirement which will be delivered through a procurement for multiple medium-sized satellites. These satellite systems, and the procurement, are known as the ‘SKYNET Enduring Capability Wideband Satellite System’ (SKEC WSS). This procurement is for the design and manufacture of up to 3 tranches of wideband GEO satellite systems, associated ground equipment, and launch operations to meet PASE dates incorporating measures to deliver an Assured Capability. The requirement includes high availability, military hardened satellite systems, incorporating X-Band and Mil-Ka payloads.
Strategic importance of the SKEC programme
With the UK National Space Strategy (September 2021) giving clear scope, goals and objectives (pillars), including to protect and defend UK interests in space and sustain the UK’s competitive edge in space, SKYNET 6 is of strategic importance to both UK Space Command and the UK Space Agency (UKSA) in delivering these outcomes.
SKYNET provides a significant boost to the industry through direct investment into the sector, and use of social value provisions in contracts. In support of national policy ambitions as outlined in the Space Industrial Plan (March 2024), the SKEC programme, and specifically the WSS procurement, provides long-term investment in the UK space sector. This includes promoting the development of new technology, use of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and investment into graduate or apprenticeship schemes.
Get involved with the SKEC programme
To build this new network the MOD SKEC Team would like to work with innovators in industry, academia and other government bodies, including our closest allies, to understand new trends, opportunities and developments in research and technology.
To meet the needs of SKYNET, we are currently investigating:
- new ideas, capabilities and services
- the exploitation of our existing systems and information
- terminals, ground equipment and other infrastructure
- ways to improve our network efficiency and customer satisfaction
- using combinations of the best available military and civilian SATCOM services
The WSS procurement has specified the following Critical Technologies (CT):
- Antennas and Receivers
- Intersatellite Links
- Reconfigurable Onboard Processing
- Telemetry Tracking and Control
- Platform Protection and Threat Mitigation
The SKEC Team are inviting industry to demonstrate how they will increasingly deliver these technical priorities. SMEs that develop these CTs are encouraged to engage the primes in the WSS procurement.
Industry engagement
Previous industry engagements for the SKEC programme include the following:
- Industry Engagement Day: May 2022
- Industry Engagement Summary Briefing Document and RFI: July 2022
- SKEC NSS PQQ Release: August 2022
- Defence Digital Space, Technical Threat Briefing: February 2023
- Defence Digital Space, Technical Threat Briefing second event: March 2023
- SKEC Wideband Satellite System (WSS) Industry Engagement Day: April 2023
- SKEC NSS PQQ Release: August 2022
- SKEC NSS ITN Release: February 2023
- SKEC WSS PQQ Release: August 2023
- SKEC WSS ITN Release: October 2023
Requests for Information
The SKYNET Programme will at various times release RFI to industry in order to examine specific capability or technology topics. Formal publication of RFIs will be via the Defence Share portal. For information on how to access and register for Defence Share please see below or contact the SKEC Team.
Contact us
If you think you and your team could help the MOD SKEC Team meet any of these challenges, then we’d be very interested to hear from you. Please contact us at UKStratComDD-CM-SatcomSKEC-IE@mod.gov.uk.
More information
You can find out more information on our collaborative site Defence Share. This is a secure site and if you wish to apply for access please request this by emailing the workspace manager at UKStratComDD-CM-SatcomSKEC-IE@mod.gov.uk.
There is also further information on the SKEC programme and other MOD contracts on the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP). You can login or register as a user on the official e-sourcing platform which advertises new contract opportunities tender and information on doing business with the MOD.
Suppliers should register for access using the supplier registration button on the DSP homepage.
To access SKEC and other opportunities in the Defence supply chain follow @defenceproc on Twitter.
If you would like to work with us, see the open opportunities on Civil Service Jobs.
Last updated 4 June 2024 + show all updates
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Updated webpage with latest information on the SKYNET 6 Enduring Capability (SKEC) Programme.
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The SKEC delivery team invites industry to respond to the Wideband Satellite System Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (new section, 'SKEC WSS Pre-PQQ').
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Webpage updated with most recent information about past events and invitations.
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Added section on SKEC Narrowband Satellite System (NSS) Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) release on Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) and updated previous Industry Engagement events.
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Extension of SKEC IE RFI closing date to 12 July 2022 from 5 July 2022.
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Removed sections: "SKYNET Assured Capability (AC) Consultation", and "SKYNET Future Acquisition Strategy" Added new "SKEC Industry Engagement Summary Briefing Document and RFI" section.
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Addition of ' SKYNET Enduring Capability Industry Engagement Day' section.
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SKEC Industry Engagement Day - Calling Notice - The SKEC Delivery Team invites industry to attend the SKEC Industry Engagement Day on 19 May 2022 at the Space Park Leicester.
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Updated the page with news on an upcoming industry day.
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Updated page content.
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Updated text in the Industry engagement section.
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Updated the: SKYNET Enduring Capability (SKEC) programme page.
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Addition of: SKYNET Assured Capability (AC) Consultation Advance Notice section.
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Updated content: RFI extension date is now until 30th April.
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Updated the bullet points under the SKEC Technical Seminars heading.
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Updated the information under the 'SKYNET Future Acquisition Strategy: RFI' heading.
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Updated the page content as of 22 February 2021.
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First published.