Evolved Strategic SATCOM (ESS)

Abstract

ESS will meet the requirements for strategic communications and capability gaps identified in the Protected Satellite Communications Services (PSCS) Analysis of Alternatives (AoA), the Protected Follow-on for Resiliency (PAFR) Study and the Strategic Tiger Team. The ESS architecture and functionality will be designed in accordance with the United States Strategic Command's signed ESS Concept of Operations and the Joint Requirements Oversight Council's validated Capability Development Document (CDD) satisfying the legacy Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) strategic requirements and mission performance with enhancements for increased resiliency and cybersecurity. The ESS system continues and adds to the strategic SATCOM mission of the AEHF program by providing space and mission control segments for worldwide and arctic DoD strategic, secure, jam-resistant, communications for ground, sea, and air assets. ESS will support strategic mission requirements to provide the National Command Authority (NCA) and Combatant Commanders with highly-reliable, secure Military Satellite Communications. ESS will support a strategic need date in the early 2030's in all operational environments and will be compatible with the existing architectures. The ESS system will satisfy emerging requirements using modular open system approaches to support incremental enhancements. For more rapid and resilient strategic capability risk reduction, the ESS Program Office is executing its approved Space Segment acquisition strategy that leverages Middle Tier Acquisition authorities from the National Defense Authorization Act of 2016 for rapid prototyping, while maintaining the continuity of the AEHF strategic mission. Activities for the ESS ground segment acquisition includes evolving and enhancing the existing ground segment, space-to-ground segment integration, and modernization in support of Enterprise Ground Services compatibility, in accordance with the acquisition strategies and schedules. Space acquisition must respond with speed and agility to emerging adversary threats. Space Systems Command (SSC) has transformed the organization and implementation of space acquisition to an enterprise approach, maximizing innovation and resiliency, leveraging international, commercial, and mission partnerships, and managing program/project priorities according to an integrated unclassified/classified enterprise space architecture. Expanding the appropriate acquisition authorities and contract mechanisms to deliver capability sooner, SSC will strategically execute experimentation, prototyping, risk reduction and other efforts to develop new or re-purpose existing capabilities. The FY 2023 funding request was reduced by $7.746M to account for the availability of prior year execution balances. The total cost of the Evolved Strategic SATCOM Space Segment Rapid Prototype Middle Tier of Acquisition effort is $1,435.6M, including RDT&E and procurement of prototype units. The Evolved Strategic SATCOM Space Segment Rapid Prototype Middle Tier of Acquisition effort is fully funded across the Future Years Defense Program. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver ESS weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 1206392SF and 1206398SF. This effort is in Budget Activity 4, Advanced Component Development and Prototypes (ACD&P), because efforts are necessary to evaluate integrated technologies, representative modes or prototype systems in a high fidelity and realistic operating environment.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2023
• Source ID: 643725_1206855SF_4_3620F_PB_2023

Tags

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering.
• Tactical Satellite Communications Systems Engineering.

Technology Areas

• Cyber
• Space