Rockwell Collins signed an agreement with Inmarsat to develop, produce and distribute user terminals and provide service for future Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) aeronautical services to the aviation industry. The agreement will bring global broadband connectivity to business, commercial air transport and government aircraft, according to Rockwell Collins.
Inmarsat and Rockwell Collins have entered into negotiations that are expected to lead to definitive agreements by late 2011.
The GX offering, a global Ka-Band broadband connectivity offering, will begin after the launch of the first Inmarsat-5 satellite scheduled for mid-2013 with global services for commercial air transport, business aviation and government customers worldwide in 2014.
“This world-class partnership is a game-changer for airborne connectivity,” said Steve Timm, vice president and general manager, Flight Information Solutions for Rockwell Collins. “Our long and proven track record in providing industry-leading connectivity solutions for business, commercial and government aviation, combined with the differentiated services of Inmarsat GX will result in a compelling global broadband solution that will give passengers and operators the same level of connectivity in the air, as they do on the ground.”
“We welcome Rockwell Collins to the expanding GX family of key partners,” said Leo Mondale, managing director of Inmarsat GX. ”Their focus and success in channels to US and international government aero segment, commercial air transport and business aviation is well-known and they will bring a world-class team together to exploit the unique performance and bandwidth capabilities of Inmarsat’s Global Xpress satellite services. Working together, Rockwell Collins and Inmarsat will set a new standard for airborne connectivity.”
For more on in-flight connectivity, tune in to the Avionics Magazine Webcast, "Internet at 30,000: In-Flight Connectivity Trends and Technologies," on Sept. 28 at 11 a.m. ET. For information, or to register, visit www.aviationtoday.com/webinars/2011-0928.html