Iridium wins five-year Space Force contract for EMSS infrastructure upgrades

Questions and Answers:

What contract did Iridium receive from the U.S. Space Force? Iridium received a five-year IDIQ contract to support technology refreshes, lifecycle upgrades, and security enhancements for EMSS infrastructure.

What is the potential value of the contract? The agreement has a potential value of as much as $85.8 million.

Why is Iridium’s network significant to military users? Iridium’s commercial low-Earth-orbit satellite network provides global, resilient voice and data communications that support situational awareness and asset tracking in challenging environments.

MCLEAN, Va. - Iridium Communications Inc. in McLean, Va., has been awarded a five-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract from the United States Space Force's (USSF) Space Systems Command Commercial Space Office (COMSO) with a potential value of as much as $85.8 million.

The System Infrastructure Transformation and Hybridization contract provides for technology refreshes, lifecycle upgrades, and security improvements to the Enhanced Mobile Satellite Services Service Center, the Technical Support Center, and the Defense Ground Station. The contract follows the Gateway Evolution Contract awarded to Iridium in 2019.

The Iridium network provides global voice, data, and positioning, navigation, and timing services that support mission-critical military communications in all conditions. The new contract is the latest of three core EMSS agreements between Iridium and the U.S. Space Force. The EMSS Airtime Contract provides global satellite communications access for Department of Defense and federal government customers. Under the Capabilities and Security Sustainment Services Contract awarded in April 2024, Iridium supports the EMSS Service Center and Defense Ground Station to maintain operational performance.

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"Through this contract, Iridium and the U.S. Space Force will continue to innovate and deliver resilient, secure, and highly reliable mission-critical communications," said Scott Scheimreif, executive vice president at Iridium. "Our solutions with the Department of Defense are designed to serve every layer of the warfighter's P.A.C.E. (Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency) plan. We look forward to supporting the U.S. and our allies through new technology introductions and ongoing collaboration."

Iridium’s low-Earth-orbit satellite network supports voice and data services for military users, improves situational awareness, and enables tracking of critical assets in challenging environments. The company is also supporting the development of the ground operations and integration segment for Tranche 1 of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.