Space Intel Report
• Peter B. de Selding
Iridium Communications reported an 8% increase in total revenue and a 13% rise in service revenue for the three months ended Sept. 30. The acquisition of Aireon, which provides aircraft tracking and flight data services, figured heavily in the results.
ATC
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Iridium Communications reported an 8% increase in total revenue and a 13% rise in service revenue for the three months ended Sept. 30. The acquisition of Aireon, which provides aircraft tracking and flight data services, figured heavily in the results.
NATO said it will send additional maritime patrol aircraft, radar systems and drones to the Black Sea following a series of deadly drone attacks on shipping in the region, apparently linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine. The move adds surveillance and monitoring capacity amid heightened risks to maritime traffic.
RTX Collins’ Tower MicroELITE display system combines ADS-B and radar data for contract and private air traffic control towers. Following FAA approval of its airborne position-reference tool, the system has been installed at San Bernardino International Airport, marking its first deployment.
The opinion piece argues that Democrats’ preference to slow modernization and Republicans’ call for government ownership are not the only choices for air traffic control. It advocates privatization as a better route to safer skies, though the supplied summary does not detail the proposed model or supporting evidence.
Two German Air Force Typhoon fighters intercepted a packed British Airways A321neo on Saturday after air traffic control lost contact with its pilots as the aircraft approached German airspace. The aircraft was bound for London; the report does not specify how long contact was lost or what caused the communications failure.
High activity
The Federal Aviation Administration and the union representing U.S. air traffic controllers reached an agreement providing thousands of workers a 2.8% pay increase retroactive to Jan. 1. The deal links the raise to workforce changes and new work requirements that the FAA says will improve efficiency.
A fault in the data-transmission network supporting Italy’s air-traffic control services cut capacity to 50% on Oct. 16, 2026, and led to 192 flight cancellations. ENAV said the problem was resolved Friday, after major disruption across the country.
High activity
The FAA is negotiating a potential ownership stake in Air Space Intelligence, developer of the Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories (SMART) system, according to reports. The agency’s use of AI, alongside air traffic controller staffing shortages, has prompted House Democrats to raise safety concerns and seek an oversight review.
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