Advanced EHF Military Communications Satellite, USA

Posted on 10 July, 2009

Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Hughes Space and Communications and TRW have formed the National Team to establish the Department of Defense (DOD) The next generation of communications satellites that are safe, known as Advanced Extremely High Frequency system.

Advanced EHF programs provide advanced capabilities to the Milstar satellite program. Provides the basis for the next generation military communications satellite system, for survivable, jam-resistant, worldwide, secure, communications for strategic and tactical warfighter. System that replenishes the Milstar constellation EHF band.

EXTREMELY HIGH FREQUENCY SATELLITE CONSTELLATION

A fully operational Advanced EHF constellation will consist of four crosslinked satellites, providing coverage of the Earth from 65 ° latitude north to 65 ° south. This satellite will provide more data throughput capability and coverage flexibility to regional and global military operations than ever before. The fifth satellite built could be used as backup or launched to provide additional capabilities envisioned for the constellation.

According to Lockheed Martin Space, Advanced EHF will benefit from the related joint team of military and leadership in commercial satellite technology to reduce size and cost while improving performance and significantly reduce program risk.

SATELLITE SYSTEMS INTEGRATION

Lockheed Martin will contribute systems integration, ground and satellite systems expertise to projects. TRW will design and produce the satellites’ digital processing subsystem, which controls all onboard switching and processing of messages. TRW will also provide satellite ‘nulling antenna subsystem, which prevents the enemy from jamming signals to and from satellites, and inter-satellite cross with support from Hughes to crosslink reflectors. The crosslink subsystem enables Advanced EHF satellites to send messages directly to each other, without the need for ground stations.