Airbus, Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), and the Office for Space Technology and Industry (OSTIn) – Singapore’s national space office – have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly advance the development of Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) technologies in Singapore.

Airbus said in a statement on Monday that the initiative reflects a shared ambition to drive technological innovation and digital connectivity through advanced satellite-enabled communications.

The multi-year MoU will see Airbus, IMDA and OSTIn work together to identify and develop key 5G/6G non-terrestrial networks (NTN) solutions focusing on integration with Terrestrial Networks (TN) to enable seamless, hybrid connectivity.

The initiative will evaluate a range of use cases across aviation, maritime, and public safety domains, whilst leveraging other enabling or differentiating technologies.

As the project moves forward, Airbus, IMDA and OSTIn will also engage with research institutions and industry partners to build a strong consortium supporting innovation to harness the full potential of NTN.

“Singapore is an ideal environment to explore cutting-edge connectivity solutions that will define the future of resilient, wide-area communications,

“This MoU lays the foundation for Airbus to work closely with IMDA, OSTIn and other partners in developing a robust 5G/NTN ecosystem that supports both industry growth and national innovation goals,” said Anand Stanley, President Airbus Asia-Pacific.

Meanwhile, Dr Ong Chen Hui, Assistant Chief Executive, BizTech Group, IMDA, said satellite communications is an important component of our digital connectivity infrastructure.

“This MoU underscores IMDA’s commitment to shaping next-generation systems for a hybrid future – where NTN plays an essential role in the broader infrastructure needed to support it,

“Through the collaboration with Airbus and OSTIn, we aim to advance the development of NTN technologies in Singapore and support deeper research collaborations within Singapore’s innovation ecosystem,” she added.

Jonathan Hung, Executive Director, OSTIn said Singapore is a global hub for infocomm, maritime and aviation, and space is a critical enabler for these sectors.

“Singapore is well-positioned to tap on space technologies to enhance our global connectivity and innovation,

“Airbus’ choice to explore Singapore for its first 5G/NTN initiative outside Europe shows the strength of our growing space ecosystem – where companies can access strong research, industry know-how and government support to develop and scale future-ready technologies,” he added.

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