February 2017 – The US military’s rising use of advanced weapons such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)/drones has given a huge boost to the market for satellite communication (SatComm). These aircrafts require non-traditional communication technologies such as SatComm to fly, navigate and engage in combat in remote locations, and their relevance in modern warfare ensures a steady demand for military satellite technologies.

"In addition to UAVs, the US is currently modernising many aspects of its military force, including the F35 Joint Strike fighter and Zumwalt-class destroyer," said Frost & Sullivan Digital Transformation Research Analyst Peter Finalle. "These new vessels and aircraft will require more communications in locations outside of the traditional network coverage, making SatComm the primary communications technology for many of them."

US Government and Military Satellite Market, accounted for 87.2 per cent of the total US spending on satellite services. SES and Intelsat has the most significant presence in the US military market, accounting for combined 57.7 per cent of the total market.

The US government and military are among the oldest clients of satellite services, and ongoing contracts and future prospects make them a consistent source of revenue despite the market's maturity. The competition for military contracts is fierce among high-bandwidth/global coverage service vendors in the industry. This, in turn, has made the military satellite market an important influencer of satellite upgrades, changes and increased efficiencies.