EX-10.1



 Exhibit 10.1 
 IRIDIUM COMMUNICATIONS INC. 
 2013 EXECUTIVE CASH PERFORMANCE BONUS PLAN

 1. Purpose. As part of its executive compensation program, Iridium Communications Inc. (the
“Company”) has designed this 2013 Executive Cash Performance Bonus Plan (the “Bonus Plan”) for the 2013 calendar year. The Bonus Plan operates under, and is part of, the 2012 Iridium Communications
Inc. Equity Incentive Plan (the “2012 Plan”), which has been approved by the Board and the Company’s stockholders. The Bonus Plan provides Participants with cash incentive awards based on the achievement of objectively
determinable performance goals. The Bonus Plan is intended to permit the payment of bonuses that may qualify as Performance-Based Compensation. 

2. Definitions. Defined terms not explicitly defined in the Bonus Plan but defined in the 2012 Plan shall have the same definitions as in the 2012
Plan. 
 (a) “Base Salary” means the base salary earned by the Participant during the Performance
Period. Such Base Salary shall be before both (i) deductions for taxes or benefits, and (ii) deferrals of compensation pursuant to Company-sponsored plans. 
 (b) “Bonus Award” means, with respect to each Participant, the award determined pursuant to Section 5(g) below, which is subject to the Committee’s authority under
Section 5(g) to eliminate or reduce the Bonus Award otherwise payable based on the Personal Performance Factor. 

(c) “Bonus Pool” means, with respect to a Performance Period, the bonus pool established under the Bonus
Plan for the payment of Bonus Awards to Participants. 
 (d) “Committee” means the Compensation
Committee of the Board (or a subcommittee thereof), or such other committee of the Board (including, without limitation, the full Board) to which the Board has delegated power to act under or pursuant to the provisions of the 2012 Plan; provided,
however, that with respect to payments under the Bonus Plan intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the Committee shall consist, to the extent required by Section 162(m), solely of two or more members of the Board who qualify
as “outside directors” within the meaning of Section 162(m). 
 (e) “Corporate Bonus Pool
Factor” means, with respect to a Performance Period, the percentage determined by the Committee based on the Company’s achievement of the Performance Goals during the Performance Period. 

(f) “Maximum Bonus Award” means, as to any Participant for the Performance Period, the maximum award that
may be granted to the Participant under the Bonus Plan. In no event may the Maximum Bonus Award paid in respect of a calendar year exceed $2 million. 
 (g) “Participant” means an eligible officer selected by the Committee, in its sole discretion, to participate in the Bonus Plan. 







 (h) “Payout Determination Date” means the date upon which the
Committee determines the amounts payable pursuant to the Target Bonus Award with respect to the completed Performance Period, in accordance with Section 5(g). 
 (i) “Performance-Based Compensation” means compensation that is intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m).

 (j) “Performance Goals” means the goal(s) (or combined goal(s)) determined by the
Committee, in its sole discretion, to be applicable to a Participant with respect to a Bonus Award as set forth in Section 13(mm) of the 2012 Plan. The criteria set forth in Section 13(mm) of the 2012 Plan may relate to the Company, one or
more of its Affiliates or one or more of its or their divisions or units, or any combination of the foregoing, and may be applied on an absolute basis and/or be relative to one or more peer group companies or indices, or any combination thereof, all
as the Committee shall determine. In addition, to the degree consistent with Section 162(m), the Performance Goals may be calculated in respect of Performance-Based Compensation without regard to extraordinary items. 

(k) “Performance Period” means the 2013 calendar year. 

(l) “Personal Performance Factor” means, with respect to the Performance Period, the percentage determined
by the Committee based on the Participant’s personal performance during the Performance Period. 
 (m)
“Section 162(m)” means Section 162(m) of the Code, or any successor to Section 162(m), as such Section may be interpreted from time to time by the Internal Revenue Service, whether by regulation,
notice or otherwise. 
 (n) “Target Bonus Award” means the target award payable under the Bonus
Plan to a Participant for the Performance Period, as determined by the Committee in accordance with Section 5(c). 
 (o)
“Target Determination Cutoff Date” means the latest possible date that will not jeopardize a Target Bonus Award’s qualification as Performance-Based Compensation. 

(p) “Target Determination Date” means the date or dates upon which the Committee sets the Performance
Goals and each Participant’s Target Bonus Award with respect to the Performance Period, in accordance with Sections 5(b) and 5(c). 

3. Plan Administration. 

(a) The Committee shall be responsible for the general administration and interpretation of the Bonus Plan and for carrying out its
provisions. Subject to the requirements for qualifying compensation as Performance-Based Compensation, the Committee may delegate specific administrative tasks to Company employees or others as appropriate for proper administration of the Bonus
Plan. Subject to the limitations on Committee discretion imposed under Section 162(m), the Committee shall have such powers as may be necessary to discharge its duties hereunder, including, but not by way of limitation, the following powers and
duties, but subject to the terms of the Bonus Plan: 

  
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 (i) authority to adopt Performance Goals and Target Bonus Awards under the Bonus Plan
for the Performance Period on or prior to the Target Determination Cutoff Date; 
 (ii) authority to determine
eligibility and the amount, manner and time of payment of any Bonus Awards hereunder, including authority to exercise negative discretion in reducing any Maximum Bonus Award; 
 (iii) authority to construe and interpret the terms of the Bonus Plan; 

(iv) authority to prescribe forms and procedures for purposes of Bonus Plan participation and distribution of Bonus Awards; and

 (v) authority to adopt rules, regulations and bylaws and to take such actions as it deems necessary or desirable for
the proper administration of the Bonus Plan. 
 (b) Any rule or decision by the Committee that is not inconsistent
with the provisions of the Bonus Plan or the 2012 Plan shall be conclusive and binding on all persons, and shall be given the maximum deference permitted by law. 
 4. Eligibility. Participation in the Bonus Plan is at the discretion of the Committee. Officers of the Company who are regularly employed (full or part time) during the Performance Period at
the level of Executive Vice President or above and who are subject to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, are eligible to participate in the Bonus Plan. If an officer is hired after the beginning of the Performance Period the
Committee shall have the discretion to determine whether such officer should be eligible to participate in Bonus Plan. If the Participant’s Bonus Plan target percent changes during the Performance Period, the officer’s Target Bonus Award
will be pro-rated based on those adjusted figures as follows: the Target Bonus Award will be based on the number of days in the Performance Period with the former Bonus Plan annual bonus target percent and the number of days in the Performance
Period with the new Bonus Plan annual target percent. A Participant must be employed through the payment date to earn any award under this Plan; if the Participant’s employment terminates before the payment date of any Bonus Award, the
Participant will not be eligible to receive a Bonus Award, or any portion of a Bonus Award, except as provided in an applicable severance plan or in an individual employment or retention agreement with such Participant. If a Participant is on a
leave of absence for a portion of the Performance Period, the Participant will be eligible for a Bonus Award under the Bonus Plan based on actual salary earned during the Performance Period (exclusive of any salary replacement benefits paid during
the leave via insurance). 
 5. How the Bonus Plan Works. 
 (a) Bonus Plan Components. The Bonus Plan components are: (i) the Performance Goals; (ii) Corporate Bonus Pool Factor; (iii) the Target Bonus Award; (iv) the Maximum Bonus
Award; (v) the Bonus Pool; (vi) the Personal Performance Factor; and (vii) the Bonus Award. 
 (b) Performance
Goal Determination. On the Target Determination Date, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall establish the Performance Goals for each Participant for the Performance Period. Such Performance Goals shall be set forth in writing on or prior
to the Target Determination Cutoff Date, and the achievement of such Performance Goals shall be substantially uncertain at such time. 

  
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 (c) Target Bonus Award. On the Target Determination Date, the Committee, in its sole
discretion, shall designate a Target Bonus Award for each Participant. Each Participant’s Target Bonus Award shall be set forth in writing on or prior to the Target Determination Cutoff Date. The Participant’s Bonus Award is calculated, in
part (as further described below), by reference to his or her Target Bonus Award. The Target Bonus Award equals the product of the annual bonus target percent and the Base Salary. For example, an Executive Vice President whose annual bonus target
percent is 50% and whose Base Salary is $200,000 would have his or her Bonus Award calculated by reference to a Target Bonus Award of $100,000 ($200,000 x 50%). 
 (d) Maximum Bonus Award. Subject to Section 2(e) above, the Maximum Bonus Award that may be earned by a Participant is 200% of his or her Target Bonus Award. 

(e) Funding the Bonus Plan. On the Payout Determination Date, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine and certify
in writing (which may be by approval of the minutes in which the certification was made) the Company’s level of achievement of the Performance Goals for the Performance Period and the resulting Corporate Bonus Pool Factor. On the Payout
Determination Date, the Committee shall calculate the Bonus Pool, which shall equal, in dollars, the product of (i) the sum of all Participants’ Target Bonus Awards and (ii) the Corporate Bonus Pool Factor. In no event will the Bonus
Pool exceed the sum of the Maximum Bonus Awards for all Participants. The Committee shall allocate the Bonus Pool to Participants based on each Participant’s Personal Performance Factor in accordance with Sections 5(f) and 5(g), and the Company
is under no obligation to pay out in Bonus Awards the entire Bonus Pool. 
 (f) Personal Performance Factor. On the
Payout Determination Date, the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine a Personal Performance Factor for each Participant ranging from 0% to 100%, which may be applied to reduce, but not increase, a Participant’s Bonus Award. A
Participant’s Personal Performance Factor may be based upon the Committee’s assessment of the Participant’s performance against personal goals during the Performance Period that are established and reviewed in connection with the
Company’s annual review process, or any additional factors the Committee considers relevant. 
 (g) Determination of the
Bonus Award. On the Payout Determination Date, the Committee, in its sole discretion, will determine the actual Bonus Award earned by each Participant by multiplying (i) the Participant’s Target Bonus Award by (ii) the Corporate
Bonus Pool Factor and by (iii) the Participant’s Personal Performance Factor. For example, assuming a Participant’s Target Bonus Award equals $100,000, the Corporate Bonus Pool Factor equals 120% and the Participant’s Personal
Performance Factor equals 100%, the Participant’s Actual Bonus Award would be $120,000 ($100,000 x 120% x 100%). 
 6. Bonus Award
Payment. 
 (a) Right to Receive Payment. Each Bonus Award under the Bonus Plan shall be paid solely from the
general assets of the Company. Nothing in the Bonus Plan shall be construed to create a trust or to establish or evidence any Participant’s claim of any right to payment of a Bonus Award other than as an unsecured general creditor with respect
to any payment to which he or she may be entitled. 

  
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 (b) Form of Distributions. The Company shall distribute all Bonus Awards to
the Participants in cash. All payments under this Bonus Plan will be subject to applicable tax withholdings. 
 (c) Timing of
Distributions. Subject to Sections 4 and 6(d), the Company shall distribute amounts payable to Participants as soon as is practicable following the Payout Determination Date for the Performance Period, but in no event later than the
15th day of the third calendar month after the end of the calendar year in which the Participant’s Bonus Award is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(d).
Payments under this Plan shall be made in a manner that complies with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) and this Plan shall be construed in accordance with such provision. 

(d) Deferral. The Committee may defer payment of Bonus Awards, or any portion thereof, to Participants in accordance with
Section 409A of the Code as the Committee, in its sole discretion, determines to be necessary or desirable to preserve the deductibility of such amounts under Section 162(m). In addition, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may permit a
Participant to defer receipt of the payment of cash that would otherwise be delivered to a Participant under the Bonus Plan. Any such deferral elections shall comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, and shall be subject to
such rules and procedures as shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. 
 7. Amendment and Termination of the Bonus
Plan. The Committee may amend, modify, suspend or terminate the Bonus Plan, in whole or in part, at any time, including adopting amendments deemed necessary or desirable to correct any defect or to supply omitted data or to reconcile any
inconsistency in the Bonus Plan or in any Bonus Award granted hereunder; provided, however, that no amendment, alteration, suspension or discontinuation shall be made that would (i) increase the amount of compensation payable pursuant to
such Bonus Award, or (ii) cause compensation that is, or may become, payable hereunder to fail to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation. To the extent necessary or advisable under applicable law, including Section 162(m), Bonus Plan
amendments shall be subject to stockholder approval. At no time before the actual distribution of funds to Participants under the Bonus Plan shall any Participant accrue any vested interest or right whatsoever under the Bonus Plan except as
otherwise stated in the Bonus Plan. 
 8. Bifurcation of the Bonus Plan. It is the intent of the Company that the Bonus Plan, and
all payments made hereunder, satisfy and be interpreted in a manner that, in the case of Participants whose compensation is subject to the limitations on deductibility of compensation provided under Section 162(m), qualify as Performance-Based
Compensation. Any provision, application or interpretation of the Bonus Plan inconsistent with this intent to satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) shall be disregarded. However, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Bonus Plan,
the provisions of the Bonus Plan may at any time be bifurcated by the Board or the Committee in any manner so that certain provisions of the Bonus Plan or any payment intended (or required) to satisfy the applicable requirements of
Section 162(m) are applicable only to persons whose compensation is subject to the limitations on deductibility of compensation provided under Section 162(m). 

  
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 9. No Guarantee of Employment. The Bonus Plan is intended to provide a financial incentive to
Participants and is not intended to confer any rights to continued employment upon Participants whose employment will remain at-will and subject to termination by either the Company or Participant at any time, with or without cause or notice.

 10. Recovery. Any amounts paid under this Bonus Plan will be subject to recoupment in accordance with any clawback policy that the
Company is required to adopt pursuant to the listing standards of any national securities exchange or association on which the Company’s securities are listed or as is otherwise required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
Protection Act or other applicable law. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to resign for “good reason” or “constructive termination” (or similar term) under any plan
of or agreement with the Company. 

  
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