Inmarsat has won an almost $1 billion contract with the US Navy for satellite communications services.

Inmarsat Government this week announced that the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has awarded the company the US Navy Commercial Broadband Satellite Program (CBSP) Satellite Services Contract (CSSC II) for worldwide end-to-end commercial satellite communications (SATCOM) services.

The contract is an indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, the ceiling value of the award is $980 million over a 10-year period. The CSSC II program is the follow-on to the CSSC contract where Inmarsat Government was the prime contractor.

Under the contract, Inmarsat will deliver worldwide managed telecommunications services, including satellite capabilities via Inmarsat Global Xpress Ka-band, as well as C-Ku and X-band frequencies, for mobile and fixed satellite services on crewed and uncrewed maritime, airborne, and ground platforms.

The company – currently undergoing a merger with Viasat – will also provide commercial teleport services; backhaul connectivity; monitoring and control; operations; information assurance and cybersecurity.

Susan Miller, chief executive officer of Inmarsat Government, said: “Inmarsat Government is proud to be selected as the end-to-end SATCOM provider under the US Navy CSSC II contract. Inmarsat Government has delivered proven, reliable, and resilient worldwide capabilities to the US Navy over the past decade, and we look forward to continuing our support to their highly demanding operations at sea, in the air, and on the ground, anywhere in the world.”

SpaceNews reports that the award of CSSC II was expected last year but was delayed due to a protest Inmarsat filed in February 2021 with the Government Accountability Office due to DISA inadvertently releasing Inmarsat’s CSSC I pricing information, giving competitors access to proprietary data.

The announcement comes after DISA awarded Inmarsat Government the US Navy Military Sealift Command (MSC) Next Generation Wideband (NGW) Follow-On (FO) Contract in August.

The deal, another Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with a ceiling value of $578 million over a 10-year period, is again for worldwide end-to-end commercial satellite communications services.

Under the contract, Inmarsat Government will maintain and operate commercial communications infrastructure, which includes satellite systems, teleport services, and terrestrial services.

The company will also upgrade the primary afloat network from Ku to the Global Xpress (GX) Ka-band system, paired with Inmarsat ELERA’s enhanced L-band Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (LAISR) service to provide a uniquely reliable, global back-up network.

At the time, Miller said: “Inmarsat Government is very proud to have delivered robust, highly available, global satellite communications solutions to MSC over the last decade. We look forward to providing that same excellent service and a seamless transition as we deliver highly reliable commercial satellite communications solutions worldwide.”