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Next-Stage C4ISR Bandwidth: The AEHF Satellite Program
21-Oct-2009 12:23 EDT |
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AEHF concept
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DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. This article offers a look at the AEHF system’s rationale and capabilities, while offering insight into some of the program’s problems, and an updated timeline covering over $5 billion worth of contracts since the program’s inception.
The USA’s new Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellites will support twice as many tactical networks, while providing 10-12 times the capacity and 6 times higher data rate transfer than that of the current Milstar II satellites. With the cancellation of the higher-capacity TSAT program, AEHF will form the secure, hardened backbone of the Pentagon’s future Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) architecture. Its companion Family of Advanced Beyond-line-of-sight Terminals (FAB-T) program will give the US military modern capabilities, and more flexibility on the receiving end. The program has international components, and partners include Britain, Canada, and the Netherlands.
This article has been updated with a recent contract for Boeing to provide engineering development models for the FAB-T, and a $50+ million order from Canada…
The Wideband Global SATCOM Program
16-Sep-2009 07:37 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Australia & S. Pacific, Boeing, C4ISR, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Modifications, FOCUS Articles, New Systems Tech, Northrop-Grumman, Other Corporation, Satellites & Sensors, T&C - SAIC, Transformation
The WGS program is actually a set of 13-kilowatt spacecraft based upon Boeing’s model 702 commercial satellite. These satellites will support the USA’s warfighting bandwidth requirements, supporting tactical C4ISR; battle management; and combat support needs. The program name has been changed for some reason from “Wideband Gapfiller Satellite” to “Wideband Global SATCOM,” presumably to avoid the (correct) suggestion that it fills an emerging gap. Readers should be aware that references to either title in documents, archives, or the media denote the same program.
Upon its first launch into geosynchronous orbit, WGS Flight 1 became the U.S. Department of Defense’s highest capacity communication satellite. This is DID’s FOCUS Article covering the WGS program. The most recent developments include storage for WGS F3, as it prepares for launch…
Special Report: The USA’s Transformational Communications Satellite System (TSAT)
08-Jun-2009 20:29 EDT |
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Raytheon: C4ISR Future?
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As video communications is integrated into robots, soldiers, and UAVs, and network-centric warfare becomes the organizing principle of American warfighting, front-line demands for bandwidth are rising faster than the US military can add it. The Transformation Communications Satellite (TSAT) System is part of a larger effort by the US military to address that need, and close the gap.
DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record – and TSAT is certainly significant. The final price tag on the entire program has been quoted at anywhere from $14-25 billion through 2016, including the satellites, the ground operations system, the satellite operations center and the cost of operations and maintenance. Lockheed Martin and Boeing each won over $600 million in risk reduction contracts to develop key TSAT SS satellite system technologies, and TSAT’s $2 billion TMOS ground-based network operations contract was already underway.
The TSAT constellation’s central role in next-generation US military infrastructure makes it worthy of in-depth treatment – but its survival was never assured. There was always a risk that outside events and incremental competitors could spell its end, just as they spelled the end of Motorola’s infamous Iridium project. This FOCUS article examines that possibility, even as it offers an overview of the US military’s vision for its communications infrastructure, how TSAT fits, the program’s challenges, and complete coverage of contracts and significant events. New additions are highlighted in green for your convenience.
The latest developments revolve around the end of the program. Despite a positive recent report from the GAO, key components of TMOS/TSAT are being canceled outright as part of the program’s planned termination…
$119M to General Dynamics for Army’s WIN-T Satellite Terminals
07-Jun-2009 14:25 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, C4ISR, Contracts - Awards, General Dynamics, IT - Networks & Bandwidth, New Systems Tech
WIN-T concept
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As the Army’s tactical portion of the USA’s Global Information Grid (GIG) network, WIN-T is designed to help deployed forces tap into that grid and its databases, collectors, and connections to national agencies. At present, this requires multiple private networks, or outright forward deployment of representatives from the agencies in question.
General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies recently received a $119 million modification to an existing delivery order (W15P7T-06-D-L219) to provide satellite communications earth terminals and support services for Increment One of the U.S. Army’s Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) program…
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Kicking it Up a Notch: Poseidon’s Unmanned BAMS Companion
28-Apr-2009 15:56 EDT |
Related Stories: Air Reconnaissance, Americas - USA, Boeing, C4ISR, FOCUS Articles, General Atomics, Issues - International, New Systems Tech, Northrop-Grumman, Other Corporation, RFPs, Raytheon, Rolls Royce, Transformation, UAVs
BAMS Operation Concept
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The world’s P-3 Orion fleets have served for a long time, and many are reaching the end of their lifespans. In the USA, and possibly beyond, the new P-8 Poseidon Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft will take up the P-3’s role. While the P-8’s base 737-based airframe offers strong service & maintenance arguments in its favor, the airframe is expensive enough that the P-3s cannot be replaced on a 1:1 basis.
In order to extend the P-8 fleet’s reach, and provide additional capabilities, the Poseidon is expected to work with at least one companion platform under the BAMS (Broad Area Maritime Surveillance) and/or PUMAS (Persistent Unmanned Aerial Surveillance) programs. The BAMS UAV competition included Northrop Grumman’s high-flying, jet-powered RQ-4 Global Hawk, General Atomics’ turboprop-powered Mariner (a cousin of its MQ-9 Reaper); and an optionally unmanned G550 business jet from Boeing.
DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. This DID FOCUS Article explains the BAMS concept, the program’s key requirements, and its international angle. We’ll also cover ongoing contracts and key events related to the program, which chose Northrop Grumman’s navalized RQ-4N Gloal Hawk.
The latest news involves additional funds for tests of the RQ-4N UAV…
Pentagon’s Global Broadcast Services Matures
06-May-2008 13:20 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, C4ISR, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Modifications, FOCUS Articles, IT - Networks & Bandwidth, New Systems Tech, Raytheon, Satellites & Sensors, Support & Maintenance
GBS Concept & Elements
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Pentagon contracts occasionally refer to the Global Broadcast Services (GBS). A variant of was first fielded in Bosnia during 1996, and special nodes were also set up in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It sounds almost like a form of global satellite TV – which is close, but not quite right. GBS is not intended to replace existing MILSATCOM (MILitary SATellite COMmunications) systems in any way. Instead, GBS uses a form of “push and store” to distribute high-bandwidth information for local relay, thereby saving critical two-way military satellite communications systems from having to handle every field request.
The other thing that makes GBS so attractive is the ability to provide high-volume data directly into 18-inch antennas, allowing streaming to and storage in devices that can move with units in the field. The GBS “pushes” a high volume of packaged data to these widely dispersed, low-cost receive terminals like Eyaktek’s Satellite Receive Suite, whose function resembles the set-top smart cable TV storage box or TiVO used in your home.
This is DID’s FOCUS Article for the GBS system. The latest news is Raytheon’s efforts to maintain the contract as its underpinnings change, and continued delivery of GBS-related systems…
Platoon-Level IP: $73M to Datapath for Joint Network Node Support
23-May-2006 07:12 EDT |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, C4ISR, Contracts - Awards, IT - Networks & Bandwidth, Satellites & Sensors, Small Business, Support & Maintenance, Transformation, Warfare - Lessons
Small business qualifier Datapath Inc. in Duluth, GA received a $73 million firm-fixed-price contract for equipment and support services, for portions of the Joint Network Node network. Work will be performed in Duluth, GA and is expected to be complete by Aug. 31, 2007. This was a sole source contract initiated on April 5, 2006 by the Army Communications-Electronics Command in Fort Monmouth, NJ (W15P7T-06-C-G205).
Major General Michael R. Mazzucchi, Program Executive Officer Command, Control and Communications Tactical (PEO C3T), has described the origins and development of the JNN program this way:
Datapath equipment
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“The recent conflict [i.e. the Global War on Terror] clearly showed that our terrestrial network fell woefully short in three areas: radio ranges did not meet the need; isolated yet critical nodes could not be readily defended; and bandwidth to battalion echelon was virtually non-existent….”
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Modernizing US MILSATCOM Control: CCS-C Takes Another Step Forward
29-Mar-2006 05:19 EST |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Contracts - Modifications, IT - Software & Integration, New Systems Tech, Other Corporation, Satellites & Sensors
AEHF Milstar III
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Integral Systems, Inc. in Lanham, MD received a $21.5 million cost-plus award-fee, firm-fixed-price contract modification to modify the Command and Control System-Consolidated (CCS-C) effort to support the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite program. As a Crosslink Magazine article referenced in DID’s comprehensive roundup of the USA’s future SATCOM architecture notes, The CCS-C is the integrated command and control system being developed to support all US military satellite communications satellite constellations, both current and future. It will replace the current command and control functions of the Air Force Satellite Control Network, and began operations with existing Defense Satellite Communication System (DSCS III) and MilStar satellites on Dec 15, 2005. See also this case study re: automated conversion of code to C++ as part of this effort.
This action will consolidate all CCS-C efforts for AEHF Satellite Vehicles 1, and 2, and 3 as a cost saving measure. The CCS-C program will eventually encompass the Defense Satellite Communication System, the Milstar series, the Advanced Extremely High Frequency constellation, and Wideband Gapfiller Satellites. The scheduled completion date is June 2010 under the contract issued by the Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA (F04701-01-C-0012-P00088).
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$148M in Long Lead Parts for WGS Satellite #4
21-Feb-2006 04:49 EST |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Boeing, C4ISR, Contracts - Awards, IT - Networks & Bandwidth, New Systems Tech, R&D - Contracted, Satellites & Sensors
WGS
Boeing Satellite Systems Inc. in El Segundo, CA received a $148.2 million firm-fixed incentive with firm-target contract. It instructs Boeing to begin work on the fourth satellite in the Wideband Gapfiller Satellite (WGS) system, a set of 13-kilowatt spacecraft based upon Boeing’s 702 satellite model. Boeing is already under contract to build the first three satellites for the WGS system, a multi-spacecraft constellation designed to do exactly what its name implies, and provide much-needed bandwidth-anywhere capacity for US forces. DID has covered the Wideband Gapfiller System in-depth.
As part of the non-recurring engineering effort, Boeing Satellite Systems will be addressing spacecraft hardware obsolescence issues through the implementation of alternative components or designs, or selection of new suppliers. They’ll also be handling advance procurement of long-lead-time parts for the manufacture of WGS #4. Solicitations began December 2005, negotiations were complete in February 2006, and work will be complete by July 2007. The Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA issued the contract (FA8808-06-C-0001).
According to US DoD documents, The FY 2006 budget allocated $164.3 million to the WGS program: $72 million for procurement, and $92.3 million in R&D. The FY 2007 request for the program is $452.1 million: $414.4 million to procure satellite #4, and $37.7 million in R&D.
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3 Wideband Gapfiller Satellites to Get Pedigree Reviews
22-Nov-2005 10:15 EST |
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Boeing, Contracts - Modifications, Satellites & Sensors, Testing & Evaluation
Wideband Gapfiller
Boeing Satellite Systems in Los Angeles, CA received a $7.6 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to add Pedigree Reviews of Wideband Gapfiller Satellites (WGS) F1, F2 and F3. The Pedigree Review rigorously audits all critical components and subsystems, and is designed to help ensure that the satellite will work fully in the “one chance to get it right” environment that characterizes space-based equipment. Boeing will assemble, analyze and present WGS component data on 6,204 items to the Government Independent Pedigree Review team during an assessment to the Space and Missile Systems Center Commander, with a launch approval recommendation. This work will be complete in September 2006.
The Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity (F04701-00-C-0011/P00112). As a previous DID report has noted, the WGS program has encountered design, integration and manufacturing problems. This is largely attributable to less-than-anticipated demand for the commercial satellite, which reduced the program’s expected ability to leverage expertise from the commercial sector. The WGS program was also mentioned, with specifics, in the Pentagon’s latest quarterly SAR report on milestoned or slipping programs.
June 1/06 update: The first of three Wideband Gapfiller Satellites (WGS) successfully completes key dynamic environmental tests to confirm the spacecraft’s structural design and mechanical integrity. See release.
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