Ovzon wins extra UK support
August 22, 2023
By Chris Forrester
Sweden-based Ovzon, which has a growing mobile broadband satellite business, has been awarded a 12-month service renewal contract from Airbus Defence and Space for the third consecutive year to deliver Ovzon SATCOM-as-a-Service to the UK Government.
Ovzon also stated that trading has been something of a “bumpy ride” these past months. It reported poor H1 results with revenues 29 per cent lower and the lost contract (in April) from the Italian Fire & Rescue Service. Ovzon said that the second-half of this year will also be a challenge but that 2024 would be “transformational”.
For the half-year to June 30th, Ovzon reported revenue of 126 million Swedish krona (€1o.6 million), down 29 per cent from the same period a year ago, and an operating loss of 52 million krona, double the loss of last year.
The new Airbus ontract renewal continues the mission critical support Ovzon provides to the UK and its growing demand for small, lightweight, and highly resilient end-to-end satellite communications. Ovzon SATCOM-as-a-Service features the Ovzon T6 mobile satellite terminal, which enjoys the reputation of having the highest performance and smallest form factor in the industry and is relied upon by the UK and many western governments when resilient, no-fail communications are required.
This service renewal will be delivered using Ovzon’s current SATCOM networks as the company readies their new satellite, Ovzon 3, for launch late this year or early next year.
Ovzon 3 will bring higher levels of performance, mobility, and resiliency, as well as several unique “near peer” features designed specifically for a contested environment.
Ovzon is also preparing to start production of the new Ovzon T7 mobile satellite terminal; an even smaller and lighter partner to the Ovzon T6, purpose built for environments where minimum size, weight, and power are needed without a sacrifice in performance.
Arianespace was originally contracted to launch Ovzon 3 but that contract was switched to SpaceX. The final assembly and testing of the satellite, in addition to the complex modeling associated with changing launch vehicles, is taking longer than anticipated, and Ovzon now expects the launch window to be no earlier than late 2023 or early 2024.
Ovzon CEO Per Norén said Maxar had recently completed dynamic testing of the satellite and that the way seemed clear for a quick completion of satellite integration before shipment to SpaceX.