Skynet is only vaguely described in the first two movies, but is explained in more detail in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines as a U.S. Air Force software experiment to protect military computer systems from virus attacks. However, Skynet is so sophisticated it unexpectedly achieves sentience and introduces a virus of its own to prompt its own premature activation by Air Force commanders. Skynet then seizes control of all military systems and launches a full scale nuclear attack against mankind, leading to a open ended war between the human survivors and its minions, the titular Terminator robots.

Loral Skynet is full-service commercial satellite operator, headquartered in Bedminster, New Jersey, and a subsidiary of Loral Space and Communications. It was acquired in 1997 by Loral from AT&T. Its customers include ABC, CBS, Citicorp, Daimler/Chrysler, Ericsson, Fox, Harley-Davidson, Hughes, Lloyds Bank, Nokia, PBS, and Time Warner Cable. Its fleet consists of Telstar-5, -6, -7, -8 (scheduled for launch mid-2004), -10, -11, -12, and -13. The North American of these are to be transferred to Intelsat under a 2003 agreement.