Defence company Babcock has won a contract to operate the government’s military satellite communications system that will create 400 new jobs.
Babcock and its partners will operate and manage the £400 million Skynet Service Delivery Wrap (SDW) contract over six years. It will involve managing the UK’s fleet of military satellites and ground stations, and the integration and support of terminals into the Ministry of Defence (MoD) network.
The satellites deliver information to UK and allied forces across the world. The SDW contract is part of the wider Skynet 6 programme, which runs up to 2041 with a government investment of £6 billion.
Skynet itself has been in service since the 1960s. The first satellite of the sixth generation, Skynet 6A, will launch in 2025.
Babcock will partner with GovSat, Intelsat and SES on Skynet SDW on the contract.
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The job news will be welcome to the defence specialist, which was forced to cut 1,000 jobs in 2021 to improve efficiency and reduce siloed working.
The company employs around 30,000 people internationally, with the bulk of those roles in the UK. The new jobs will be in the south-west of England.
David Lockwood, CEO for Babcock, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to support this world-leading technological safeguard. Skynet enables vital communications to the UK Armed Forces wherever they are, helping to keep them safe.
“Babcock is a world leader in secure communications for the military. Together with our partners, we will provide a high-tech solution which combines the availability, affordability and capability that the UK needs.”
Alex Chalk, the defence procurement minister, said space was increasingly important for maintaining military advantage.
“The UK’s next-generation military satellite communications system will keep us at the forefront of this critical domain and the work under this contract will bolster our resilience for years to come,” he added.
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