Gogo and Iridium Partner to Deliver Best-in-Class Aircraft Connectivity

A recognized leader in the aviation industry and long-time Iridium partner, Gogo Business Aviation connectivity platforms and services are found on virtually every size and type of business aircraft flying globally. Today, thousands of business aircraft are flying with  communications systems from Gogo Business Aviation that use the Iridium^® network. In fact, Gogo first began selling Iridium products and services in 2002 and introduced its Axxess system – which operates on the Iridium network – in 2005 followed by the more recent product, ST 4300. With Iridium Certus service delivered through the Iridium NEXT low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, Gogo will now continue this tradition while creating small-form-factor, low-latency and cost-effective antennas able to provide broadband service from any airspace, including the poles. 

"We've had a longstanding partnership with Iridium. Now, as a VAM and service provider for Iridium Certus, Gogo will be able to offer higher-speed data rates for business aircraft operating anywhere in the world," said Scott Richter, vice president of business and product development for Gogo Business Aviation. "Iridium Certus is not only a great complement to our current platform of systems that utilize our air-to-ground network, but will offer more choices for our customers looking to add global satellite connectivity with greater capabilities."

Iridium Certus will bring broadband functionality, with enterprise-grade quality of service, to the aviation industry. The service will deliver faster speeds and offer smaller form factor antennas featuring a range of throughput and service options. These options will enable a variety of capabilities for cockpit safety and electronic flight bag services as well as cabin business applications. Enabled by Iridium NEXT, Iridium Certus is poised to deliver the fastest L-band broadband speeds on the market, with eventual speeds of approximately 1.4Mbps. Initial flight trials for Iridium Certus aviation applications will take place later this year, with commercial service introduction specifically for aviation users targeted for mid-2019.

"We are thrilled to welcome Gogo to the Iridium Certus family as both a manufacturing partner and a service provider," said Bryan Hartin, executive vice president, sales and marketing, Iridium. "Iridium Certus is going to change the way the aviation industry communicates by introducing faster speeds and smaller hardware, all at competitive price points. Iridium Certus can support the entire aircraft, from the flight deck to the cabin, creating a truly connected flying experience."

Gogo joins an exclusive roster of best-in-class Iridium Certus VAMs and service providers for aviation. Current Iridium Certus VAMs for aviation include Thales, Rockwell Collins, L3 Communications and Cobham, in addition to the recently announced aviation service providers, including Honeywell Aerospace, SKYTRAC, Avitek and Navicom Aviation. 

Iridium NEXT is the Company's $3 billion, next-generation satellite network. To date, there have been six successful Iridium NEXT launches, deploying 55 new satellites. Two additional launches are planned for 2018, delivering 20 more satellites to orbit, completing the new constellation.  In total, 81 Iridium NEXT satellites are being built with 66 in the operational constellation, nine serving as on-orbit spares and six as ground spares.

For more information about Iridium Certus, please visit https://www.iridium.com/company/industryleadership/iridiumcertus

For more information about Gogo, please visit https://www.gogoair.com/

For more information about Iridium NEXT, please visit www.IridiumNEXT.com

About Iridium Communications Inc.

Iridium is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. The company has a major development program underway for its next-generation network — Iridium NEXT. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IRDM. For more information about Iridium products, services and partner solutions, visit www.iridium.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not purely historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company has based these statements on its current expectations and the information currently available to us. Forward-looking statements in this presentation include statements regarding the deployment and capabilities of the Iridium NEXT constellation and products and services to be offered over the constellation, including Iridium Certus, as well as the potential market for such products and services. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the words "anticipates," "may," "can," "believes," "expects," "projects," "intends," "likely," "will," "to be" and other expressions that are predictions or indicate future events, trends or prospects. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Iridium to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, uncertainties regarding potential delays in the Iridium NEXT deployment, the development and functionality of Iridium NEXT and related products and services, and the company's ability to maintain the health, capacity and content of its satellite constellation, as well as general industry and economic conditions, and competitive, legal, governmental and technological factors. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements include those factors listed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 22, 2018, and in the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on April 26, 2018, as well as other filings Iridium makes with the SEC from time to time. There is no assurance that Iridium's expectations will be realized. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if Iridium's underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected, estimated or projected. Iridium's forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Iridium undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Iridium Communications Inc.