Gogo completes Satcom Direct acquisition to serve all business aviation segments

Inflight connectivity provider Gogo has completed its acquisition of Satcom Direct, which provides satellite-based inflight connectivity to over 1,000 customers in the executive aviation and military markets. 

The deal, which was announced in September 2024, creates the only group able to provide multi-orbit, multi-band, in-flight connectivity to all market segments in executive aviation, according to the acquirer. 

The acquisition has been made through a mix of cash ($375 million) and shares (with Gogo issuing five million new shares to distribute to Satcom Direct shareholders). Gogo may pay another $225 million provided certain performance indicators are met within the four years following the completion of the deal. Gogo borrowed $250 million to fund this deal, with the remainder coming from its own cash reserves. 

Chris Moore, who, until now, was President of Satcom Direct, will become the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the combined entity. 

With the acquisition of Satcom Direct, Gogo expects to strengthen its position in business aviation, which has become its focus market since it divested from its commercial aviation activities back in 2020. 

Gogo is also expecting to be able to also offer its upcoming Galileo Low Earth Satellite (LEO) connectivity product to Satcom Direct’s customer base, particularly in the defense and government sector, where the latter has a strong position. 

During a conversation with AeroTime at the EBACE air show in Geneva, in May 2024, Moore explained how it has become increasingly important for air operators to be able to provide always-on connectivity and redundancy. 

In this regard, he explained how Satcom Direct has been working on electronically steered array antennas and the related routing equipment able to mash signals from different satellites together in order to provide seamless connectivity at all times while in flight. The post Gogo completes Satcom Direct acquisition to serve all business aviation segments appeared first on AeroTime.

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