The UK will move one of its communication satellites to the Asia Pacific region for the first time to deliver protected and secure satellite communications services.

Defence Minister Philip Dunne MP confirmed at the recent Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition in Malaysia that Airbus will reposition one of the Skynet 5 satellites, providing the UK with secure communications and a greater ability to support regional humanitarian and peace-keeping operations.

As part of a multimillion-pound investment, Airbus Defence and Space – which operates the satellite on behalf of the UK Government – will also build a ground station in Australia. The move represents significant export opportunities for the UK as any spare communication capacity will be sold.

Mr Dunne said: “The announcement that Airbus will be moving one of the UK’s Skynet 5 satellites to the eastern Asia Pacific region is clear proof of how much our relationships with our international allies matter. This is the first time that we have had a secure communications capability in the region, and shows the depth of our commitment to our allies and partners in the region, including Malaysia, in humanitarian and peace-keeping operations.”