Rockwell Collins, Iridium partner on connectivity solutions

Iridium Communications Inc. officials have announced Rockwell Collins as the newest Iridium Certus service provider for the aviation industry. Rockwell Collins will be adding the service to its comprehensive suite of aircraft connectivity applications for commercial, government, and ARINCDirect business customers.

In addition to being a service provider, Rockwell Collins is also a value added manufacturer (VAM) for the design and production of Iridium Certus terminals. As a VAM and a service provider, Rockwell Collins will play a critical role in delivering the next-generation L-band broadband solution to customers around the world.

"Iridium Certus will be an important new service addition to meet the connectivity needs of commercial, business, and government aircraft," said Michael DiGeorge, vice president of Commercial Aviation Services for Rockwell Collins. "For our ARINCDirect business aviation operators, Iridium Certus will offer small form factor antennas and terminals which are ideal for operators of smaller aircraft requiring Internet connectivity. For our airline and government customers, the Iridium Certus service will enable a variety of capabilities for cockpit safety, enhanced aircraft reporting, graphical weather, EFBs, and other operational aircraft services."

Iridium Certus high-gain antenna (HGA) solutions will provide data speed options of up to 704Kbps, and eventually as high as approximately 1.4Mbps following full Iridium NEXT deployment, with an antenna size of approximately 24cm x 10cm x 6cm, while the low-gain antenna (LGA) solutions will enable data speeds of up to 176Kbps.

Initial flight trials will take place later in 2018, with Iridium Certus commercial service introduction for aviation users expected in mid-2019. Iridium Certus is powered by Iridium NEXT, the Company's next-generation satellite constellation, currently being deployed.

The new agreement builds on the long-standing relationship between Rockwell Collins and Iridium, which spans more than a decade and began with the advent of Iridium aviation service offerings.