2024 Issue Four

Ushering the New IFC Era with NGSO

Vishal Patil, Senior Consultant, Novaspace

Air passenger traffic has surpassed pre-pandemic levels globally and passenger expectations of staying connected to loved ones have increased drastically on the ground and in the air. In-flight connectivity (IFC), which once was a novelty, is quickly becoming a necessity globally. Airlines, which were among the early adopters of IFC, have experienced shifting demand trends in recent years. Consequently, some major airlines have switched from one solution to another as demand grew. Similarly, the IFC technology is developing rapidly. The first generation of IFC could offer bandwidth of a few hundred Kilobits per second (Kbps) to single-digit Megabits per second (Mbps). It was good enough for simple messaging and web browsing as even websites were lighter on graphics then. As technology advanced, the demand increased. Websites became heavy; video content became an integral part of the day-to-day activities on the internet that required much more bandwidth. As a result, IFC evolved from a few Kbps to double-digit Mbps to hundreds of Mbps per aircraft. The newer solutions are expected to be capable of catering to the increasing demand. As we all know, the IFC was introduced in North America and then spread globally in the last two decades or so, some of the major airlines from North America are already on their third IFC solution. The airlines from Asia-Pacific are increasingly adopting IFC.

Novaspace anticipated that more than 11,000 commercial aviation aircraft were equipped with IFC at the year-end 2023 and 14% of it was from the Asia-Pacific region. The total number of aircraft connected will grow two times in the next decade while the share of Asia-Pacific is to reach 27% by 2033. The Ku-band is expected to be the most favored frequency propelled by the introduction and then adoption of Ku-band Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) services. Starlink became the first mover among the new generation of NGSO players to launch its IFC services. Since Starlink’s launch of IFC services in 2022-23, the bandwidth is no longer a limiting factor. Starlink wants airlines to provide “free-to-all” streaming grade IFC to all their passengers. Starlink’s approach to IFC represents a significant shift for airlines seeking to enhance their offerings. Airlines have long been exploring ways to meet user requirements as passengers are unwilling to pay high fees for internet access while flying. To a certain extent, an affordable bandwidth to provide free IFC to passengers was a distant dream for the airlines. Airlines have found various ways to subsidize their spending on IFC. One such example was the sponsorship model where IFC was sponsored completely or partially by a sponsor. But finding the right sponsor was not easy either.

The IFC industry was expected to see a significant uptake of Starlink after its launch much like in the maritime industry. The service took off in 2024 when several prominent airlines such as WestJet, United Airlines, and most recently Air France announced agreements with Starlink contracting thousands of aircraft. These latest contracts will help other airlines to build their confidence for Starlink and more interestingly for new NGSO services. The company already had signed contracts with Air Baltic, Hawaiian, JSX, and Qatar Airways including two airlines from the Asia-Pacific region, Zipair and Air New Zealand. Starlink claimed that it had more than 2,500 aircraft (including business jets) under its belt as of September 2024. Intelsat, on the other hand, launched its hybrid services in 2023 offering Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) (from Eutelsat OneWeb) services. They managed to sign the first few hundred aircraft quickly with American Airlines, Air Canada, and Alaska Airlines. However, the service launch has been delayed multiple times due to issues with Eutelsat OneWeb’s ground network. The service availability is now scheduled for the spring of 2025. Even though most of the aircraft contracted for NGSO-based services are already equipped with other solutions and will be upgraded to new services, Novaspace anticipates that the NGSO-based services will trigger the higher adoption of Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) systems in the coming decade.

As mentioned earlier, the capacity demand is growing significantly but the supply from new High Throughput Satellite (HTS) and Very High Throughput Satellite (VHTS) systems has increased exponentially in recent years and will continue to do so in the coming years as newer GEO VHTS and LEO constellations will be deployed. The competition is likely to intensify stipulated by Starlink’s strategy to offer hassle-free “free-to-all” home-like IFC experience with streaming-grade internet to each seat. The free streaming service for all passengers will soon be a norm as Starlink has paved the way and other service providers will be compelled to follow to remain competitive. Bandwidth will not be a limiting factor as Starlink advertises 220 Mbps down and 25 Mbps up as maximum speeds per aircraft which are already significantly more than what aircraft are typically used to get and sufficient to cater to all single-aisles and most of the twin-aisles demand depending on the specificities of the flight. Free streaming services will typically see a take-up rate above 50% leading to massive increases in the data consumed per flight. The average data consumed per aircraft varies depending on several key parameters. However, Novaspace estimates that it can grow from ~10 GB in 2023 to 150 GB per aircraft per flight in the next decade. Consequently, the capacity demand generated by the IFC segment is expected to multiply more than 20 times in the next decade. Considering the exponential increase in the capacity supply, the demand should be served without much of an issue, except potentially around major airport hubs. This is where hybrid systems are likely to play an important role by overlapping GEO-based capacity over LEO-based capacity over high-demand areas and flight routes.

The IFC business remains highly volatile. Since the pandemic, we have seen a higher level of vertical and horizontal consolidations in this market, and Novaspace expects that this trend will continue. In addition to this, the launch of Starlink services has further intensified the competition. Starlink benefited from the misfortune of the other services from competitors such as Viasat and Eutelsat OneWeb which could have impacted the adoption of Starlink.

Existing stakeholders primarily involved in the GEO side of the business are partnering with new and upcoming NGSO suppliers to remain relevant in the market. Intelsat and Panasonic’s partnership with Eutelsat OneWeb and Anuvu’s collaboration with Telesat are examples of it. The exponential growth in the capacity supply from the latest GEO and NGSO VHTS systems is expected to aggravate the competition. The new generation of VHTS technologies such as software-defined satellites, flexible satellites, real-time beam forming and switching, and optical communication along with NGSO satellite constellations which use smaller, yet powerful satellites will bring the cost of capacity significantly down. The competition is expected to compel existing GEO technologies to match up with the new pricing reality. The satellite communication industry has seen some prominent GEO stakeholders such as Viasat-Inmarsat, and Intelsat-SES merging to face the competition.

On the other hand, the competition has also paved the way for new entrants to explore their fate. Hughes, satellite operator and equipment manufacturer has also entered into the IFC market by signing 300+ aircraft from Delta’s regional fleet in 2023/24. The service providers and satellite operators are joining hands with aircraft Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) such as Airbus within the framework of Airbus’s HBCplus program to provide much sort-after flexibility to the airlines. SES launched the “Open Orbits” program to take a similar approach toward providing flexibility to the airlines while choosing an IFC solution while remaining relevant. In short, airlines will expect to get the freedom to choose service providers and services without undergoing cumbersome equipment changes. In general, the airlines will benefit from services that will offer more bandwidth and better services at the same price or slightly higher prices or the same services at a reduced price. In any case, the average revenue per aircraft (ARPA) for IFC services will see stagnation and is eventually expected to stabilize in the second half of the next decade. Novaspace estimates that the service ARPA will increase merely 15-20% as compared to 2023 before stabilizing. This will pressure service providers to innovate newer avenues to generate revenues and airlines to innovate and explore new applications to monetize the investment. The use of IFC for operational benefits is one such avenue that remains unexplored to its full potential.

In addition to the bandwidth-related benefits of NGSO-based services, electronically steerable antennas (ESAs) used with these services are assumed to produce less drag due to their low profile and lighter weight and hence possess indirect benefits such as saving fuel cost as compared to existing terminal solutions. Those terminals are easy to install and have fewer or no moving parts hence supposed to be maintenance-free. This adds up to other several direct and indirect benefits of NGSO-based services over existing VSATs.

The overall benefits of the new generation of IFC such as NGSO-based services will have an adverse impact on existing services. In this rapidly evolving landscape, it will be interesting to see how the IFC market develops and which direction it will take. Will the market favour NGSO-based solutions, or will GEO-NGSO solutions coexist and share the space? Only time will tell.

Multi-Orbit Inflight Wi-Fi Elevates the Passenger Experiences and Boosts Loyalty

Blane Boynton, Vice President, Product Development, Intelsat

Commercial airlines are very aware of the inextricable link between the inflight Wi-Fi passenger experience, consumer satisfaction, and profitability. No matter the distance, route, or duration of a flight, passengers expect to have the same level of connectivity and access to entertainment as they would at home or in their offices.

To ensure its airline partners can provide a superior and differentiating inflight connectivity experience, Intelsat continues to invest in new network advancements and industry-leading innovations.

Innovating the inflight Wi-Fi experience

“We’re changing the entire equation for the commercial aviation industry,” said Intelsat’s Vice President of Product Development, Blane Boynton. “We’re developing several innovations that will enable airlines to deliver continuous, high-quality connectivity anywhere a plane flies, and at a lower cost.”
By virtualizing its satellite and ground network, Intelsat is ushering in a new era of unparalleled flexibility where bandwidth can be dynamically allocated to planes equipped with software-defined modems and smaller, lighter, and cheaper electronically steered array antennas.

Multi-orbit satellite connectivity is the key to a better experience

But perhaps the most significant advancement on the horizon is the introduction of multi-orbit network capability.

“Each satellite orbit has its respective advantages and strengths,” said Carmel Ortiz, SVP of Technology and Innovation. “GEO networks are tremendously resilient, highly efficient in capacity delivery, and offer great economics. Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations offer complete global coverage, including over the poles, lower latency communications, and can be accessed via smaller, flat panel antennas. We’re enabling airlines to exploit the best of all orbits.”

Intelsat’s multi-orbit connectivity solution seamlessly integrates the capabilities of its fleet of owned and operated GEO satellites, LEO satellites from OneWeb, and added capacity from other satellite network providers.

A multi-orbit network means no gaps in coverage

Boynton believes access to multiple satellite networks using one set of unified equipment will have significant positive implications for airlines and their passengers.

“Access to connectivity from all available orbits will allow airlines to deliver to their passengers a dramatically enhanced onboard connectivity experience. When bandwidth demands in high-traffic areas, such as around Heathrow Airport in London or the notoriously clogged Eastern United States corridor congest one network, airlines can split the load across networks, enhancing efficiency and ensuring continuity of service.”

Multi-orbit antenna technology improves reliability and enhances sustainability

In addition to continuous investment in enhancing its satellite and ground network, Intelsat collaborates with leading aerospace manufacturers to develop next-generation antennas that deliver new levels of inflight connectivity reliability.
Working in tandem with BAE Systems (formerly Ball Aerospace) and Stellar Blu Solutions, Intelsat has developed a next-generation Electronically Steered Array (ESA) antenna designed to ensure maximum reliability of Intelsat’s multi-orbit inflight connectivity service on aircraft of all sizes, from regional jets to wide body aircraft.

“Existing antennas installed on aircraft are typically composed of multiple moving parts that are susceptible to wear and tear, vulnerable to extreme elements, and therefore inherently less reliable,” said Boynton. “The ESA antenna is a singular lightweight unit with no moving parts. Instead of mechanically steered components constantly adjusting as the aircraft flies, the ESA antenna connects to satellites electronically, dramatically reducing the likelihood of failure.”

He added, “Each antenna consists of nine individual arrays that can operate independently, offering multiple levels of redundancy compared to the traditional mechanically steered antennas.”

In addition to enhanced reliability, the ESA antenna contributes to airlines’ cost and sustainability goals. Its diminished size and weight reduce drag, leading to fuel savings and lower CO2 emissions.

Multi-orbit networks enhance crew communications, ease inflight processes, and more

Beyond delivering an enhanced inflight Wi-Fi connectivity experience for passengers, airlines can leverage multi-orbit connectivity for secure crew communications, payment processing and order facilitation in the cabin, electronic baggage data exchange, or to launch revenue-generating advertising platforms. Flight crews can access more detailed and frequent weather information that can optimize routing, reducing fuel usage and costs.

“The flexibility, agility, and dynamism of multi-orbit connectivity have great potential to elevate the inflight experience for both passengers and cabin crews,” Boynton continued.

While multi-orbit capabilities are available now, there is more innovation to come.
Today, network selection is predetermined based on a given flight plan or programmed to switch from one network to another at a particular juncture of the flight. In the not-too-distant future, however, algorithms and terminals at the edge will enable automated smart network switching, informed by the real-time performance of each network. Even further into the future, multi-network arbitration will enable network switching on the fly and the ability to deliver the most suitable and appropriate network based on specific applications in use. Passengers on the same flight could be accessing connectivity from different orbits based on usage or degree of tolerable latency.

Airlines offering superior inflight experiences will have an advantage

With business and leisure travel exceeding pre-pandemic levels, passengers will choose the airlines that offer superior experiences. Boynton says airlines tapping into Intelsat’s multi-orbit connectivity offering will be better positioned to deliver exceptional experiences that boost loyalty and positively impact the bottom line. “As loyalty becomes increasingly connected to the inflight experience, airlines need partners that can help them deliver premium connectivity and great entertainment options on board. Our knowledge of the commercial aviation business, commitment to innovation, vast experience, and heritage as a pioneering architect of satellite communications services, will benefit airlines that choose Intelsat as their inflight experience partner.”

In fact, Intelsat’s multi-orbit inflight connectivity solution is gaining the attention of airlines around the globe. The system has been selected by several leading airlines, including American, Air Canada, Alaska and Japan Airlines as well as several unnamed airlines. Systems are currently being installed and the first aircraft will enter service before the end of 2024.

Coffee, Tea, and Wi-Fi:
Why LEO-Only In-Flight Connectivity is the Must-Have Amenity

Alan Mak, Senior Director, In-Flight Connectivity, Hughes and Vaibhav Magow, Vice President, Hughes

In the dynamic and rapidly growing aviation market, in-flight connectivity is poised to become the next ingredient for airlines to enhance passenger satisfaction. With the advent of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology from providers such as Hughes and OneWeb, airlines can now truly offer home-like connectivity solutions. Moreover, a LEO-only In-Flight Connectivity solution maximizes the benefits of connectivity to airlines and their passengers. Using smaller and lighter antennas, lower latency, and improved internet performance, LEO In-Flight Connectivity collectively leads to happier business and leisure travelers.

Air Travel Statistics in the Asia-Pacific Region

The Asia-Pacific region has seen remarkable growth in air travel, reflecting the increasing demand for both domestic and international flights. Here are some key statistics:

• Passenger Growth: In the first ten months of 2024, Asia-Pacific airlines carried approximately 303 million international passengers, marking a 33% increase compared to the same period in 2023 according to the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines.
• Market Recovery: The region’s air travel market is expected to reach 3.5 billion passengers by the end of 2024, achieving 103% of the 2019 levels.

LEO-only Means Small and Lightweight Equipment

One of the primary advantages of LEO satellites is their proximity to Earth, typically orbiting at altitudes between 500 to 2,000 kilometers. This proximity allows for the use of smaller and lighter antennas on aircraft. Unlike traditional Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites, which orbit at approximately 35,786 kilometers, LEO satellites require less powerful transmission equipment meaning the onboard equipment can roughly 1/3rd the size and weight of traditional GEO equipment.

This reduction in size and weight translates to several benefits for Asia-Pacific airlines:

• Reduced Fuel Penalty: Lighter antennas contribute to overall aircraft weight reduction, and their lower profile virtually eliminates the fuel penalties from drag resulting in cost savings. This is particularly important for airlines operating long-haul flights across the vast Asia-Pacific region where every gram matters.
• Ease of Installation: Smaller antennas are easier to install and maintain, reducing downtime and operational disruptions, which is crucial for maintaining high service standards in a competitive market.

Low Latency Just like at Home or in the Office

Latency is the time it takes for data to travel from the user to a server and back. Modern websites can require more than 70 of these back and forth requests to load a single web-page. Latency is a critical factor in internet performance. LEO satellites, being closer to Earth, offer significantly lower latency compared to GEO satellites. This lower latency is particularly beneficial for cloud-based applications, which are increasingly essential for both business and leisure travelers in the Asia-Pacific region.

• Making Cloud Applications Usable in Flight: Business travelers in the Asia-Pacific region rely heavily on cloud-based applications such as Salesforce, SharePoint, real-time collaboration tools, and Office365. Lower latency ensures these applications run smoothly, providing a productive in-flight experience. Increased productivity yields better customer satisfaction for the key demographic of business travelers.
• Gaming on the Go: Online gaming has become a popular pastime, and the ability to play games with minimal lag during a flight can significantly enhance the travel experience for gamers. This capability can be a unique selling point for airlines targeting younger, tech-savvy passengers in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Improved Streaming and Browsing: For leisure travelers, lower latency means faster and more reliable streaming of movies, music, and other online content. It also enhances general web browsing, making the overall internet experience more enjoyable.

Attracting and Retaining Business Travelers

Business travelers are a key demographic for airlines, and their satisfaction is closely tied to the quality of in-flight connectivity. With LEO In-Flight Connectivity, airlines can offer a superior internet experience that meets the high demands of business travelers.

• Productivity on the Go: Reliable and fast internet allows business travelers to stay connected with their teams, attend virtual meetings, and manage work tasks efficiently. This uninterrupted connectivity ensures that valuable time spent in the air is not wasted, which is crucial for maintaining productivity during long-haul flights.
• Competitive Advantage: Airlines that provide top-notch connectivity can differentiate themselves in a competitive market, attracting more business travelers who prioritize connectivity when choosing their flights.

Translating Connectivity into Revenues

The robust growth in air travel demand in the Asia-Pacific region has significant implications for airline profitability, and great connectivity is a key catalyst to unlock additional revenue:

• Revenue Growth: The increase in passenger numbers directly translates to higher revenue from ticket sales. With the Asia-Pacific region expected to contribute to more than half of the global net gain in passenger numbers by 2043, airlines in this region are well-positioned to capitalize on this growth. Low latency, LEO connectivity is a key pillar of the onboard experience.
• Operational Efficiency: The use of smaller and lighter antennas with LEO In-Flight Connectivity can lead to operational cost savings, particularly in fuel consumption and maintenance. These savings can improve profit margins, which are often thin in the highly competitive airline industry.
• Enhanced Customer Loyalty: Offering superior in-flight connectivity can enhance passenger satisfaction and loyalty, leading to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth. This is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge and ensuring long-term profitability.
• Premium Services for High Value Customers: Airlines can leverage high-quality connectivity to offer a premium service to reward customers, which can generate additional revenue streams. When paired with airline loyalty programs, connectivity becomes a way to maximize customer lifetime values.

In conclusion, adopting LEO In-Flight Connectivity solutions offers numerous benefits for airlines. The smaller and lighter antennas reduce the fuel penalty of connectivity to almost negligible levels, while the lower latency enhances internet performance, enabling cloud-based applications to be useable. This leads to happier business travelers who can remain productive and leisure travelers who can enjoy online gaming and other activities. Ultimately, airlines that invest in LEO In-Flight Connectivity will see improved passenger satisfaction, setting themselves apart in a competitive industry.

Addressing Cyber Threats in Aviation Connectivity

Chris Insall, Head of Mobility Business Development, ST Engineering iDirect.

In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) has transformed passenger experience, enabling access to the internet, real-time messaging, and a variety of other online network services while airborne. These advancements not only cater to consumer demands for seamless connectivity but also facilitate operational benefits, including real-time communication for flight crews and enhanced safety protocols.

However, IFC can potentially introduce new risks, requiring a secure ground infrastructure that is resilient against an expanding spectrum of cyber threats. As modern aircraft systems become increasingly reliant on digital connectivity, the potential attack surface expands significantly.

The industry is cognizant that integration of IFC with critical aviation systems means a breach in connectivity services could have far-reaching consequences. The challenge is no longer just protecting passenger internet usage but ensuring the resilience of the entire aviation ecosystem as a whole.

Cybersecurity Challenges in Aviation

The Asia-Pacific region is increasingly focused on enhancing cybersecurity in the aviation industry, given its critical role in regional connectivity and economic growth. In 2023, IBM revealed APAC was the third most-targeted region in the world for cyberattacks, accounting for 23% of all incidents, with phishing (36%) and exploitation of public-facing applications (35%) as the most common initial access vectors.

When analysing the broader aviation industry, The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity reported a 30% increase in aviation cyberattacks in 2023, highlighting the urgency of addressing cybersecurity gaps. Threat actors are becoming more sophisticated, using advanced techniques to exploit weaknesses in both legacy and modern systems. Therefore, the industry – including enterprises in the Asia-Pacific region – must adopt a comprehensive and proactive cybersecurity strategy to address these evolving threats.

The aviation industry has faced numerous cybersecurity breaches over the years, each emphasising the critical need for stronger protections across its digital infrastructure. The Cathay Pacific data breach in 2018 is just one example of how sensitive customer and operational data are at risk, but it is far from an isolated case. Incidents like this highlight the multifaceted risks to customer trust, operational continuity, and compliance, while underscoring the cascading effects breaches can have on industry partnerships and the aviation ecosystem as a whole.

The aerospace sector faces unique challenges, due to its reliance on highly complex and interdependent systems. Connectivity solutions bridge multiple domains, including passenger services, operational systems, and ground infrastructure, each with distinct vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities are compounded by the global nature of the aviation industry, where numerous stakeholders, including airlines, technology providers and regulatory bodies must collaborate to ensure a secure environment.

Key Cyber Threats to Aviation Connectivity

The increasing reliance on digital systems expands vulnerabilities, creating several cyber threats that pose significant risks to IFC and the broader aviation industry. Understanding these threats is critical to developing effective countermeasures.

Ransomware has emerged as a major threat to aviation, capable of disrupting operations by encrypting critical systems and demanding payment for restoration. It is capable of targeting ground systems responsible for managing connectivity, leading to significant service disruptions. Worse, ransomware infections could potentially propagate to operational systems, compromising flight safety.

Spoofing manipulates systems by sending falsified signals and jamming disrupts legitimate communications by overwhelming frequencies with interference. Both of these threats pose significant risks to IFC by targeting satellite or ground-based communication channels. For example, spoofing GPS signals can compromise navigation accuracy, and jamming can interrupt critical data exchanges between pilots and ground control, potentially undermining operational efficiency and safety.

The Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) is a vital component for transmitting messages between pilots, ground control, and other stakeholders. While ACARS was not originally designed with robust cybersecurity measures, its increasing integration with modern systems makes it a potential attack vector. A compromise here could allow attackers to intercept or alter critical messages.

Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks flood systems with excessive traffic, overwhelming servers and causing service outages. In aviation, such an attack could target IFC ground stations or airline websites, resulting in disruptions to passenger services, flight operations, and communication systems. Given the reliance on real-time data exchange, even a short-lived DDoS attack could have cascading effects.

The aviation sector relies on a vast supply chain for hardware, software, and services, and a supply chain attack, where an attacker compromises a trusted vendor, could introduce new vulnerabilities. For example, malicious software updates or compromised hardware could provide attackers with backdoor access to aircraft systems.

Overall, human error remains one of the weakest links in cybersecurity. Attackers frequently use phishing emails or social engineering tactics to gain access to sensitive systems. A 2024 report found the human element was a component of 68% of cyber breaches, highlighting how employees need regular training to keep up with the latest schemes to avoid allowing unauthorised access to critical networks.

Learning from the Defence industry

The aviation industry can draw valuable lessons from the defence sector, which has developed robust strategies to counter comparable cybersecurity threats. By adopting proven practices, aviation stakeholders can build a more resilient security structure.

The P.A.C.E. (Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency) framework emphasises structured communication planning to ensure operational continuity during emergencies. By establishing multiple layers of redundancy, operators can maintain connectivity and operations even during cyber incidents. For instance, alternate satellite systems could serve as backups if primary communication channels are compromised.

At the recent Cybersenate aviation security conference in London, we emphasised how innovations in software-defined satellites (SDS) and virtualized architectures, such as ST Engineering iDirect’s Intuition platform, enhance adaptability and resource orchestration, enabling operators to dynamically respond to disruptions and integrate seamlessly with terrestrial networks. Additionally, scalable bandwidth and cloud-native operations ensure resilience and cost-efficiency.

A multi-layered security approach, also known as Defence In Depth, involves implementing overlapping technologies to create a robust defense-in-depth strategy and can strengthen the aviation industry’s security posture. The approach focuses on detecting, mitigating, predicting, and preventing threats and could include encryption protocols, intrusion detection systems (IDS), or endpoint security measures.

For example, one of the leading interference mitigation technologies we have deployed is CSIR (Communication Signal Interference Removal), which redefines how active, noise-inducing interferers are isolated and removed from a communications signal. CSIR effectively mitigates a wide range of interferers from continuous wave (CW) to multiple strong interferers without requiring any prior information about them. One benefit is how it can seamlessly be inserted into any receive chain to address unknown interference in various scenarios. CSIR technology is available as standalone units or embedded in ST Engineering iDirect’s 9-Series modems, DLC-R (defense “receive” line card), and 450mp SDR modem.

By layering technologies like CSIR with other detecting, predicting or preventing technologies, attackers must overcome multiple barriers in order to breach systems, significantly reducing the likelihood of a successful attack.

Additionally, adopting a “secure by design” philosophy can ensure cybersecurity is prioritised from the outset of system development by incorporating security features into hardware and software during the design phase rather than as an afterthought. This can be implemented into IFC systems as they can be designed with end-to-end encryption, secure authentication mechanisms, and regular patch management capabilities.

Defence organisations rely on real-time threat intelligence to stay ahead of adversaries and the aviation industry can benefit from similar practices by establishing platforms for sharing cybersecurity information among stakeholders. Collaborative efforts between airlines, technology providers, and regulatory bodies can help identify any emerging threats and coordinate joint responses.

Regulatory standards and technological innovations

Government agencies and industry organisations play a pivotal role in establishing cybersecurity standards for the aviation sector. Regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) cybersecurity guidelines provide a framework for safeguarding data and systems. However, as threats evolve, regulations must be updated to address emerging vulnerabilities.

Adopting global standards is particularly important in aviation, given the global nature of the industry. Collaboration between regulatory bodies can ensure a consistent approach to cybersecurity, reducing gaps that attackers could exploit.

Emerging technologies offer new opportunities to enhance IFC security. Some of the most promising innovations include artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), which can analyse vast amounts of data to identify anomalies and potential threats in real time. These technologies can enhance intrusion detection systems, enabling faster responses to cyber incidents. Similarly, Blockchain technology can provide a secure framework for data exchange, ensuring the integrity and authenticity of information transmitted through IFC systems.

Building a Resilient Aviation Ecosystem

Addressing cybersecurity in IFC requires a holistic approach that considers the interconnected nature of aviation systems. Key elements of a resilient ecosystem include collaboration across stakeholders, airlines, technology providers, regulatory bodies, and even passengers. Collaborative initiatives, such as industry working groups and public-private partnerships, can help align efforts and share resources.

Continuous monitoring of systems and regular updates to security protocols are essential as cyber threats evolve rapidly. Proactive measures, such as vulnerability assessments and penetration testing, can identify and mitigate risks before they are exploited. Additionally, a robust incident response plan (as outlined in the industry’s “Part-IS” framework) ensures organisations are prepared to respond effectively to cyber incidents. Such plans should include clear roles and responsibilities, communication protocols, and strategies for mitigating damage and restoring systems. Passengers also play a role in IFC security and airlines can educate passengers on safe internet practices, such as avoiding public Wi-Fi for sensitive transactions and recognising phishing attempts.

Key takeaways

Overall, the increasing connectivity of aircraft introduces both opportunities and challenges for the aviation industry. While IFC enhances passenger experience and operational efficiency, it also expands the potential attack surface for cyber threats and addressing these threats requires a comprehensive approach which can incorporate lessons from the defence sector, leverage emerging technologies, and emphasise collaboration among stakeholders.

By viewing IFC security as part of a larger cybersecurity framework, the aviation industry can safeguard critical systems and ensure resilience in the face of evolving threats. Proactive measures, combined with a commitment to continuous improvement, will be essential to maintaining the trust and safety of passengers in a more connected world.

Taiwan: The Space Sector’s Little Giant

Blaine Curcio, Senior Advisor, Novaspace

In the rapidly-changing world of commercial space and satcom, Asia-Pacific is one of the most dynamic regions. In addition to long-established powers such as Japan, the region is home to more recent rising space players such as India, South Korea, and the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”). Oftentimes though, a surprisingly major player gets overlooked: the Republic of China (ROC), better known as Taiwan.

The island of just ~25 million people has long punched above its weight in high-tech sectors, including making most of the world’s most advanced semiconductors via homegrown titans such as TSMC. At the same time, Taiwanese companies such as Hon Hai Precision Industry (better known as Foxconn) assemble everything from iPhones to (more recently), electric vehicles. Closer to home for APSCC, what does the rise of Taiwan’s space sector look like, and what does this mean for the rest of the region?

Background: Taiwan’s Space Industry Heritage

Taiwan’s space sector has grown rapidly in the past few years as regional tensions have risen and space has come to the forefront, but the island’s space and satcom sector have been around in a more limited role for a long time. Taiwan’s space program began in earnest in 1991 with the creation of the National Space Organization (NSPO). Most of Taiwan’s early space initiatives were related to earth observation (EO), including Formosat-1, -2, and -3, with the last being a constellation of 6 LEO satellites.

Over the ensuing couple of decades, quite a few more Formosat EO satellites were launched, largely in cooperation with NASA and JAXA. However, during a lengthy period of splendid US-PRC relations (and reasonably warm PRC-Taiwan relations, for that matter), there was little need for Taiwan to develop a space sector full of provocative dual-use technologies. As the Italians say, il gioco non vale la candela: the game was not worth the candle. If Taiwan tried to develop their own dual-use rocket, it would have created some level of regional instability. And at a time when the US and PRC were getting along well and the APAC region was very stable, that was a lose-lose situation.

Fast-forward to today, and US-PRC relations are anything but splendid. And China-Taiwan relations likewise. The calculus with regard to Taiwan’s space program has also clearly changed: not only does the US likely care less about angering the PRC compared to before, also the need for Taiwan to develop its own space sector is more apparent than ever. The changing geopolitical situation has turbocharged the Taiwanese efforts in space, culminating in 2022, when their Legislative Yuan took a major step in passing a bill upgrading the NSPO to the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA), giving it a budget of NT$10B (~US$300M) in 2023, and a mandate to develop a space program that includes a test launch site on the island’s east coast, the location of which will be announced next year. In short, recent events have meant that Taiwan’s space program at large is no longer under the radar, though many of its industrial champions remain hidden in more or less plain view.

Supporting World-Leading Companies

Part of the reason that Taiwan’s space sector has gone under the radar for years is that, like much of their economy, the most advanced companies are building incredibly complex components and systems that are used to make other things. One does not think about Taiwan when they look at their iPhone, because the Taiwanese value-add is somewhere deep inside the phone’s electronics.

Similarly, many might not realize that dozens of Taiwanese suppliers contribute parts to SpaceX rockets and Starlink satellites, and yet they do. This became a hot-button issue last month, when Elon Musk asked Taiwanese suppliers to move manufacturing off the island as a way of hedging against risk of an altercation with PRC.

At the time, Taiwanese company Chin-Poon Industrial, a “satellite component maker” that supplies SpaceX, (you are not the only one to have never heard of them), stated that SpaceX had asked them to move production from Taiwan to Thailand “mostly due to geopolitical considerations”. Other SpaceX suppliers from Taiwan include under-the-radar players like Wistron NeWeb Corporation (routers and other network gear for Starlink) and Shenmao Technology, a supplier of soldering materials for circuit boards (for SpaceX and others). An article quoting the Taiwanese Ministry of Economic Affairs from November 2024 highlighted 46 suppliers in Taiwan of SpaceX and Starlink, including makers of material components, PCBs, antenna components, cables, and power supplies.

Moving forward, we should expect to see a lot more industrial activity from Taiwan. In August this year I was lucky enough to visit the National Central University (NCU) in Zhongli, Taoyuan. In addition to visiting with professors and grad students, I was able to see their satellite clean room, where they had built a couple of cubesats for Foxconn, of all people, launched in November 2023.

Why does Foxconn—the world’s largest mobile phone maker—want to launch satellites? Because even though we don’t build satellites like we build mobile phones today, in 10 years, we might. According to Foxconn Chairman Young Liu at the time of launch, “I needed to find something so that the company is able to grow for the next 10, 15 years”. As a reminder, this would be growth from a very high starting point: Foxconn’s 2023 revenues were NT$6.162 trillion, or US$190B. For those keeping score at home, that makes Foxconn some ~15-20x the size of the global satcom industry.

Apart from contract manufacturers building invisible components, a growing group of Taiwanese manufacturers have begun taking the lead in areas like phased-array antennas. The TASTI 2024 Expo in Kaohsiung in late November featured Ubiqconn Technology, a Taiwanese satellite equipment manufacturer and systems integrator (and APSCC member!). At the Expo, Ubiqconn showcased next-gen LEO antennas, GEO antennas, and other devices. Following the SATELLITE 2024 conference in Washington DC, a number of Taiwanese companies expressed optimism in the satcom sector, seemingly realizing that the island’s competitive advantages are a natural fit with today’s growing satcom sector.

Separate from the prominence of Taiwanese suppliers in the space and satcom value chain, the Taiwanese Government and major companies have increasingly been talking about the importance of satcom for resiliency purposes, for pretty obvious reasons.

Using Satcom for Resiliency

The past few years have seen a step change in Taiwan’s space industry activities. Driven by a changing geopolitical climate, and specifically increasing tensions between Taiwan and the PRC, the Taiwanese government has recognized the utility of satcom to improve telecommunication network resiliency. This is not just an academic exercise with several subsea cables linking Taiwan with the outside world having been cut in early 2023.

In a September 2023 interview, Taiwanese Minister of Digital Affairs Audrey Tang was very clear about the role of satellites for the island: “a microwave station is just like a submarine cable in that it cannot be hidden from others, so you still know where it is. If you really wanted to take out the microwave station, you could do it. Using satellites [for communications] is different. The satellite is in the sky, and the receiver is also very small and can be moved around, as you can see in Ukraine. There are many small dishes in Ukraine. They can be placed in hidden places or moved quickly, but no matter where they are, they still get reception from the satellites”. At the risk of sounding presumptuous, it does not take a genius to figure out the logic of Minister Tang.

And in the ~16 months since that interview, Taiwan has put their money where their mouth is with regard to satcom resiliency. First, in November 2023, Eutelsat OneWeb signed an agreement with Taiwan’s largest telco, Chunghwa Telecom. Executive Vice President of Chunghwa Alex Chien was pretty clear about their thinking: “Taiwan is an island and relies heavily on submarine cables for external connectivity, with satellites serving as a secondary option. Therefore, satellite services are essential communication tools for the Taiwanese government and businesses.”

In April 2024, the Taiwanese coast guard opened a satellite link between Itu Aba Island and Taiwan Island using O3b mPOWER, with Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuai Bi-Ling writing on Facebook that “the activation of the SES O3b mPower…was a goalpost for sustaining the coast guard, research and medical personnel who are stationed on the island.”

In addition to making deals with global satellite operators, Taiwanese officials have also talked up the need to develop their own resilient comms system, possibly their own LEO constellation. In May 2024, Director General of the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA), Wu Jong-Shinn, noted that Taiwan is at an “experimental development stage” in efforts to build new indigenous communication satellites, while saying “The communication satellite is very important for our communication resilience during urgent periods…that’s very important for us, so we take it very, very seriously”.

Conclusions: What to Expect from Taiwan Moving Forward?

One of my favorite teachers in high school used to say, you don’t know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been. In the case of Taiwan, the past can provide clues for the future in the context of space and satcom. Despite having a population of similar magnitude to Australia and Sri Lanka, 2 of every 3 iPhones in the world are made by a Taiwanese company, and many of the world’s leading hi-tech manufacturers are from Taiwan.

That being the case, we can reasonably expect Taiwan to punch above its weight in the space sector, whether in the under-the-radar way that they have done historically, or in a more public and prominent way. An article from Taiwanese media earlier this year put it very well: “the (Taiwan satcom) industry’s focus predominantly gravitates towards critical components rather than comprehensive system integration”. And in the future, that might be the biggest change. Taiwan’s space sector is likely to go from making incredibly complex but under-the-hood widgets to making the whole enchilada: satellites, rockets, and a bunch of other systems. In any case, it will be fascinating to watch this Little Giant of the global tech sector continue its march into our satcom industry.