SKYNET Integrated Enterprise Solution (SKIES) project
Source: gov.uk (2025-12-03)

Engage with MOD on SKYNET Integrated Enterprise Solution, a transformation project developing and assessing options for the future delivery model for the SKYNET programme.

About the SKYNET programme

SKYNET is the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD’s) satellite communications (SATCOM) capability. It is a family of military communications satellites which provide strategic communication services to the UK Armed Forces and our allies. It supports operations to deliver information to UK and allied forces around the world, enabling battlefield information advantage anywhere, anytime.

The SKYNET 5 satellites are the most recent generation of UK military satellites, with SKYNET 6a having completed initial phase testing.

About SKIES

SKYNET Integrated Enterprise Solution (SKIES) is a complex business transformation project striving to improve delivery and integration of the future SKYNET 6 Programme through the development of a new business operating model. The team is currently developing and assessing options to redefine the relationship with industry to enable greater collaboration, agility and sustainability.

The UK Government’s approach to space is changing and maturing. As the pace of change in the space sector continues to accelerate, the SKYNET programme continues to face significant challenges that require a fundamental change to the way in which it does business. In response to these challenges the MOD SKIES team is currently defining the future delivery model for the SKYNET programme.

SKIES will seek to address these challenges by establishing a collaborative model with industry and more efficient ways of working across the SKYNET programme. This will lead to more effective decision making in areas such as route to market, programme and system integration and the utilisation of constrained resources, while exploiting future technology and innovation. At the same time SKIES will need to align and be consistent with broader UK Government and defence policies and strategies.

SKIES will be how the MOD manages the delivery of the SKYNET capability with industry into the medium and long-term future (for at least 10 years). Its implementation will be incremental and evolutionary but with a constant focus on continuous improvement.

Get involved with the SKIES programme

The MOD SKIES team would like to work with innovators in industry, academia, and other government bodies, including our closest allies, to understand new trends, opportunities and business developments which could help to define the future delivery model for the SKYNET programme.

SKIES market engagement

The previous focus of SKIES market engagement was on options and input of industry to feed into the analysis of developing an appropriate SKIES business/operating model. Previous market engagements for the SKIES project included:
- industry engagement day: July 2023
- market engagement survey: July 2023
- one-to-one supplier engagements: September to October 2023
- regular attendance and engagement at Space conferences including Global MilSatCom, Space Com Expo, DPRTE and DSEI
The feedback from prior engagements provided great insight into market capabilities and gaps within the current SKYNET programme that need to be further explored to ensure that the Authority’s approach to market engagement is as holistic as possible.

SKIES November 2025 market engagement event

The SKIES team are now embarking on a further campaign of market engagement to build upon the early insights gained in 2023. This started with a market engagement event in Wiltshire on Thursday 20 November 2025 to provide industry with information on the SKIES project, including:
- a strategic overview of the SKIES project
- an overview of the key SKYNET programme challenges that will shape and inform the development of the SKIES project, including an introduction to the SKIES challenge statements
- next steps for future SKIES market engagement
Briefing material from the event (https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=60414) is available on the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP).

Future opportunities to get involved with the SKIES project will be advertised on the Defence Procurement LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/defence-procurement) and the Defence Sourcing Portal (https://www.contracts.mod.uk/).

Contact us

If you think you and your team could help the MOD SKIES team meet any of these challenges, then we’d be very interested to hear from you. Please contact us at xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

More information

There is also further information on the SKIES project and other MOD contracts on the Defence Sourcing Portal (DSP) (https://www.contracts.mod.uk/). You can log in or register as a user on the official e-sourcing platform which advertises new contract opportunities and information on doing business with the MOD.

Suppliers should register for access using the supplier registration button on the DSP homepage (https://www.contracts.mod.uk/web/login.html).

To access SKIES and other opportunities in the Defence supply chain follow Defence Procurement on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/defence-procurement).