MCLEAN, Va., July 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM) announced today that the International Monohull Open Class Association (IMOCA), has named Iridium as their Official Communications Partner for the 2019-2021 race season.  IMOCA has also chosen Thales as its partner and sole provider of Iridium Certus L-band broadband equipment and will equip the IMOCA racing fleet with their VesseLINK connectivity solution. From June 2019 to June 2021, IMOCA race teams will rely upon Iridium Certus^® as their primary means of satellite communication. Together, Iridium and Thales will provide satcom connectivity for several high-profile yachting events that attract a global audience, including the prestigious Vendée Globe race.

The IMOCA World Race Series represents several major physical and technical challenges for the teams. The success or failure of a race can depend upon regular access to weather and wind updates, which in turn are dependent upon an uncompromising level of ship-to-shore and shore-to-ship connectivity. The Iridium Certus L-band broadband service delivers the foundation for all of these elements, providing dependable high-speed connectivity globally regardless of sailing conditions. In addition, the service will enable crew to post updates to social media and even conduct media interviews while at sea during a race.

"We are very proud to announce Iridium and Thales as the 'Official Communications Partners' of the IMOCA Class. The Iridium Certus satellite broadband service combined with the Thales VesseLINK terminal modernizes the communications capability of IMOCA yacht skippers sailing around the world," said Antoine Mermod, president of the IMOCA Class. "The skippers of the IMOCA Class are preparing for several races over the next two years. The preparation also includes one of the greatest challenges in sport: The Vendée Globe which is a single-handed, nonstop, round-the-world yacht race. We see a synergy in our mutual core values, technology, performance and human endurance. The partnership is the start of a valuable relationship between Thales, Iridium and the IMOCA class."

Iridium Certus is the world's newest and most advanced L-band broadband solution, offering small-form-factor, cost-effective terminals and truly global coverage.  IMOCA race vessels will now be optimized with this state-of-the-art satcom system, built for adverse weather conditions in any ocean. The service will be delivered to the race teams by selected Iridium world-class service partners (SPs).

"The IMOCA race series is the ultimate test for IMOCA class crews, and their adoption of Iridium Certus and VesseLINK is an invaluable acknowledgement that a new era of satcom has arrived for the maritime industry," said Wouter Deknopper, vice president and general manager of maritime business at Iridium. "Through our terminal partners we are able to offer the smallest, lightest satellite antennas with no moving parts, and with a future firmware update, our existing terminals will offer the fastest L-band speeds at the most cost-effective rate in the industry.  No comparable service can top our speed, coverage, form factor or reliability."

For more information about Iridium, visit: www.iridium.com 
To learn more about IMOCA and view the race schedule, visit: www.imoca.org

About Iridium Communications Inc. 

Iridium^® is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe.  Iridium enables connections between people, organizations and assets to and from anywhere, in real time.  Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications.  The company has recently completed its next-generation satellite network and launched its new specialty broadband service, Iridium Certus^®. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IRDM.  For more information about Iridium products, services and partner solutions, visit www.iridium.com.  

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not purely historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company has based these statements on its current expectations and the information currently available to us. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding the timing of introduction, capabilities and benefits of new products and services enabled by the Iridium constellation, including Iridium Certus. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the words "anticipates," "may," "can," "believes," "expects," "projects," "intends," "likely," "will," "to be" and other expressions that are predictions or indicate future events, trends or prospects. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Iridium to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, uncertainties regarding the development and functionality of Iridium services, and the company's ability to maintain the health, capacity and content of its satellite constellation, as well as general industry and economic conditions, and competitive, legal, governmental and technological factors. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements include those factors listed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 28, 2019, as well as other filings Iridium makes with the SEC from time to time. There is no assurance that Iridium's expectations will be realized. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if Iridium's underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected, estimated or projected. Iridium's forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Iridium undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Iridium Communications Inc.