Intelsat announced plans late last week to upgrade its existing Asia-Pacific satellite fleet through the launch of additional spacecraft that will boost capacity and the company’s ability to offer broadband, mobile and enterprise applications throughout the region. Between now and the end of 2012, Intelsat intends to deploy 11 new satellites, five of which are slated to provide new or replacement capacity. Among these five satellites, one—the future Intelsat 22 satellite to be located at 72° East Longitude—would carry a specialized UHF payload (in addition to C- and Ku-band transponders) that would provide military communications services for the Australian Defense Force (ADF) in accordance with the contract signed by Intelsat and ADF in April. Direct-to-home satellite television and network services in Australia would be optimized through the launch of Intelsat 19, a replacement for the current Intelsat 8 spacecraft to be located at 166° East Longitude. C-band transponders on board Intelsat 19 and on two additional replacement spacecraft—Intelsat 17 and 18—would expand video distribution capabilities from Europe to the Pacific Islands to the western United States. Intelsat also confirmed plans to invest in the expansion of related ground network infrastructure, in part with upgrades to teleport facilities located in Hawaii. Observing that his company’s actions “reflect our commitment to providing our customers with a growth plan that supports their strategic objectives,” David Ball, Intelsat’s regional vice president for the Asia-Pacific region, said: “Intelsat will have the connectivity and capacity to serve its customers in the region and as they distribute their content throughout the globe.”