Iridium, Aviation Interests Call Basis of Ligado's L-Band Suit 'Skewed'

Ligado's federal complaint about its planned L-band use "rests in critical parts on a skewed, misleading narrative," satellite and aviation interests told the U.S. Court of Federal Claims Friday in an amicus brief (docket 1:23-cv-1797) backing the government's motion to dismiss Ligado's suit against the U.S., DOD, Commerce and NTIA (see 2401260003). Iridium, Aireon, the Air Line Pilots Association, Airlines for America and the International Air Transport Association said that their concerns about interference from Ligado's plans for a terrestrial L-band network "should inform the Court’s consideration." The concerns about "harmful interference arising from Ligado’s planned terrestrial operations are real and ongoing, not pretextual or resolved," they said. The brief said the U.S. argument that Ligado doesn't have a property interest in its L-band license, and thus the Constitution's takings clause isn't implicated, "is underscored by the fact that Ligado’s license remains subject to substantial contingencies," including ones stemming from multiple reconsideration petitions before the FCC and from the possibility of judicial review if the agency denies the petitions.