Evolved Strategic SATCOM (ESS)
Abstract
The Protected Satellite Communications Services (PSCS) Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) evaluated alternative space and control segment architectures, along with the associated user segments, to address the required protected satellite communications capabilities in the nuclear, contested, and benign operating environments. The PSCS AoA Follow-on for Resiliency (PAFR) Study and Strategic Tiger Team further defined the need for strategic space resiliency. To meet the requirements for strategic communications and capability gaps identified in these studies, the Evolved Strategic SATCOM (ESS) system will provide space and mission control segments for worldwide and polar DoD strategic, secure, jam-resistant, nuclear-survivable communications for ground, sea, and air assets. It will include on-board resilience features with enhanced survivability and potentially provide a Protected Tactical Waveform (PTW) capability. PTW is a waveform designed to mitigate the effects of advanced jamming in Anti-Access/Area Denial environments. PTW will ensure delivery of protected tactical SATCOM to the joint and coalition warfighters in these contested, degraded environments. ESS will support strategic mission requirements such as Presidential and National Voice Conferencing (PNVC), Nuclear Command and Control (NC2) strategic networks, terminal report back, and Emergency Action Message (EAM) dissemination. The program will provide the National Command Authority (NCA) and Combatant Commanders with highly-reliable, secure MILSATCOM to execute the Single Integrated Operational Plan (SIOP), and command and control strategic forces at all levels of conflict. ESS will support 2030 strategic demand in all operational environments (nuclear, contested, and benign) and will be backwards compatible with the eXtended Data Rate (XDR) waveform. The space vehicles will be designed to accommodate hosted payloads as required. The ESS system will also satisfy emerging requirements and capabilities for enhanced resilience by accommodating on-board resilience payload(s), providing maneuver capability, and incorporating improved cybersecurity. RDT&E funding is required for continued program office and other related support activities that may include, but are not limited to: architectural development, acquisition strategy development, system requirements and system trades analysis, technology maturation, risk reduction activities, system and operational concept development, design activities, prototyping, engineering, manufacturing, developing, testing and evaluating of the ESS systems and segments. The current and future space domain demands that space systems be responsive to new and changing threats, and can rapidly integrate new capabilities to make our warfighting force more resilient in a contested battlespace. This agility, survivability, and rapid reconstitution must extend through the entire space warfighting enterprise, to include how we learn about the threat; develop solutions; acquire, test, deploy, train, operate and integrate new systems into the greater system of systems; and ensure our space mission force is ready to defeat a thinking adversary in a complex, multi-domain battlespace. The enterprise will use all of its elements to accelerate decision-making, prototype potential solutions, rapidly integrate decision-making tools and sustain a war-winning capability by delivering multi-domain effects in, from, and through space and cyberspace enabling battle management and resilience options to "fight through." This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver Protected SATCOM services (PSCS-Aggregated) weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 1206392F and 1206398F. This program is in Budget Activity 4, Advanced Component Development and Prototypes (ACD&P), because efforts are necessary to evaluate integrated technologies, representative modes or prototypes in a high fidelity and realistic operating environment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2019
- Source ID
- 643725_1206855F_4_3600_PB_2019
Related Documents
- Root: Protected SATCOM Services (PSCS) - Aggregated
- Child Accomplishment: Technical Baseline and Architectural Engineering
- Child Accomplishment: Acquisition Strategy and Source Selection
- Child Accomplishment: ESS Development
- Child Cost Item: b3f287b9d37644f0981ba24f17936753
- Child Cost Item: dabd2153bc69c47087f114ab4b635b07
- Child Cost Item: 80657cb58362ab35337cdd43ad7b73da
- Child Cost Item: c5577afca42e0c51be05a9dd2318e71a
- Child Cost Item: 717ac928dd43e3c71b3962ace9107e9a
- Child Cost Item: 61684a02eeb76800996c88dbbc514171
- Child Cost Item: 0d9dacaf397df8690e1737ff62d160b5