- Integration adds Iridium Short Burst Data and broadcast services to Snapdragon MTR; demos ran at AUSA in Washington, D.C. (13–15 Oct).
- An M.2 module using Snapdragon X75 is planned for government partners developing bespoke satcom solutions.
What happened: Snapdragon MTR gains Iridium satcom options
Telecoms.com reports that satellite operator Iridium and Qualcomm Technologies have teamed up to embed L-band data connectivity in the Snapdragon Mission Tactical Radio, positioning it for contested or disconnected environments. The feature set includes Iridium Short Burst Data messaging and one-to-many broadcast support, with demonstrations timed to the AUSA defence show.
The firms say availability targets U.S. government and allied users, with an M.2 modem based on Snapdragon X75 in the works for programmes that need custom designs.
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Why it’s important
For defence users, folding satellite data into a common radio platform could simplify kit, reduce SWaP-C (size, weight, power, cost) and provide a fallback when terrestrial networks are jammed or absent. It also shows Qualcomm pushing deeper into government-grade radios, while Iridium extends its footprint beyond handhelds and trackers to integrated edge devices.
Still, execution is everything. Certification, EMSS activation, crypto hardening and multi-bearer policy control will decide whether trials convert into programmes of record. Interoperability with existing SDR waveforms, resilience under jamming, and total cost per connected node remain open questions. Analysts will watch for OEM announcements around the X75-based M.2 module, concrete field-test KPIs from AUSA demos, and clarity on export/ally availability. Until then, this is a promising building block rather than a done deal.
