MILSATCOM Terminals

Abstract

The Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) Terminals program develops and fields equipment enabling users to communicate via legacy and future systems to include Milstar, Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF), Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Follow-On (UFO), Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS), Defense Satellite Communication System (DSCS), Enhanced Polar Systems (EPS), and other military and commercial satellites, to support tactical Air and Space Expeditionary Force requirements and maintain essential connectivity for strategic forces. Program RDT&E currently includes the following program efforts: 1) Concept development work to identify commercial/military technology solutions to improve MILSATCOM terminal capabilities for the warfighters. Focus includes, but is not limited to, increasing throughput, facilitating sustainability, reducing footprint on user platform and supporting the Global Information Grid (GIG). 2) The Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T) Increment 1 program will provide Extremely High Frequency (EHF) voice and data MILSATCOM for nuclear and conventional forces as well as airborne and ground command posts with connectivity to Milstar, AEHF, and Ehanced Polar System (EPS) satellites. FAB-T Increment 1 terminals will also support the command and control (C2) of Milstar, AEHF, and EPS satellites. 3) The High Data Rate - Radio Frequency (HDR-RF) Ground Terminal program will provide the high data rate SATCOM connectivity needed to support the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) community with High Bandwidth High Throughput (HBHT) capability. HDR-RF Ground Terminals will be used for Command & Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C2ISR), and will support the full spectrum of operations from humanitarian support/disaster relief to a major theater war. HDR-RF Ground Terminals will be interoperable with WGS satellites and the High Data Rate Airborne Terminal (HDRAT) (formerly FAB-T Increment 2), to support Air Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (AISR) data rates from 138Mbps to 274Mbps. HDR-RF Ground Terminals will include an HBHT Software Communications Architecture (SCA) compliant modem and will provide quad band (C-, X-, Ku- and Ka-band) SATCOM. HDR-RF Ground Terminals will be interoperable with legacy tactical terminals and operate worldwide with existing military and commercial spacecraft. The user of HDR-RF Ground Terminals is the Global Hawk Ground Mission Control Element (MCE). FY11 HDR-RF funds support Phase II risk reduction efforts supporting modem qualification with an operational waveform, test and evaluation, program office support, system engineering and other related activities. 4) The Joint Terminal Engineering Office (JTEO) provides tri-service coordination of terminal development, acquisition and fielding activities. 5) The Global Broadcast Service (GBS) provides for development, systems engineering and integration, test, Transmission Security (TRANSEC) compliance development, program office support of Receive Suites and continued analysis of ORD III requirements. While the GBS program is in the Operations and Sustainment phase of its lifecycle, the Receive Suite efforts are still conducting development and are captured in this Budget Activity 6) The HDRAT will develop a high data rate SATCOM terminal solution in support of AISR platforms and other supporting activities. HDRAT will provide for secure Ka/Ku high data rate satellite links (over commercial and government owned assets) and line-of-sight communications supporting airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (AISR) platforms. This program will provide AISR platforms with antenna solutions, modem assemblies, and the appropriate waveforms capable of supporting high resolution sensor data and C2 links at speed up to 274 Mbps (platform and mission dependent).

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2011
• Source ID: 0303601F_7_3600_PB_2011
• Change Summary Explanation: $10.0M was rescinded in the FY09 supplemental bill.
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Aircrafts
• Artificial Satellites
• Bandwidth
• Command And Control
• Cost Analysis
• Data Rate
• Engineering
• Extremely High Frequency
• Frequency
• Line Of Sight
• Military Satellites
• Radio Frequency
• Satellite Communications
• Surveillance
• Systems Engineering
• Test And Evaluation

Readers

• Tactical Satellite Communications Systems Engineering.
• Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space
• Space - Satellites