Sovereignty

Satcom Leaders Must Pair Sovereignty With Open Multi-Orbit Networks

Global – October 28, 2026 -- ST Engineering iDirect SVP Brian Jakins argues that sovereignty, multi-orbit resilience and open ecosystems, not satellite count, will decide who leads satellite communications in the next decade.

More than 120 mobile operators now partner with satellite players, yet customers still struggle to get capacity

Jakins says customers in Asia, LATAM and the Middle East keep asking why capacity is so hard to obtain when GEO, MEO and LEO supply is greater than ever. He cites mega-constellation launches, Europe's IRIS2 moving into production and Amazon Leo scaling up. By his account, customers want less complexity, not more connectivity.

Governments Prioritize SATCOM Control Over Ownership, Panel Finds

Global – October 27, 2026 -- Governments are demanding full control over their satellite communication mission stacks rather than just access to capacity, according to a panel hosted by ST Engineering iDirect. Speakers from the company and PA Consulting said sovereignty is shifting toward assurance and resilience.

Control outweighs ownership in national SATCOM programs

Alison Grey, Associate Partner at PA Consulting, said full end-to-end in-country ownership is unrealistic for most nations. The practical goal is assured access, control and resilience. Keith Blanchet, Vice President, Global Government at ST Engineering iDirect, defined sovereignty as resiliency, sovereign control and interoperability, the last being essential for coalition operations.

Europe's MILSATCOM Leaders Demand Resilience-by-Design in Munich

Munich – October 27, 2026 -- More than 100 military satellite communications (MILSATCOM) leaders gathered in Munich for ST Engineering iDirect's biennial Defence Technology Day, where speakers agreed that European sovereign networks must be built to withstand cyberattacks, jamming and physical damage from the outset. Defence agencies, operators, integrators and technology partners attended, and 12 partners exhibited.

Ukrainian officer: resilience cannot be retrofitted

Major Andrii Kovalchuk of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said modern SATCOM systems must survive cyberattacks, radio frequency interference and infrastructure damage at the same time. Speakers throughout the day echoed that resilience has to be embedded in architectures, terminals, waveforms, operational planning and procurement decisions.