Iridium’s satellite network. Photo: Iridium

The U.S. Space Force has awarded Iridium an infrastructure transformation contract worth up to $85.8 million for lifecycle upgrades to the Enhanced Mobile Satellite Services (EMSS) service center. 

The award announced Tuesday from Space Systems Command (SSC) Commercial Space Office (COMSO) is a 5-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract called System Infrastructure Transformation and Hybridization (SITH). 

This contract is one of three core contracts between Iridium and the Space Force for EMSS — the contract vehicle that gives the U.S. government departments and agencies unlimited voice and narrowband data on the company’s satellite network. The SITH contract is to modernize the EMSS ground infrastructure, including security enhancements and lifecycle upgrades. It is a follow-on to the Gateway Evolution contract Iridium received in 2019.

Iridium pointed to the award as part of a broader trend of the military relying on industry for resilient satellite communications. 

“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, 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.”