PTES

Abstract

The global threat of electronic warfare attacks against space systems will expand in the coming years in both number and types of weapons. Threat development will very likely focus on jamming capabilities against dedicated military satellite communications (MILSATCOM). To address this critical need, the Department of the Air Force (DAF) is developing the Protected Tactical Enterprise Service (PTES) ground system to provide worldwide, anti-jam, Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) communications for tactical warfighters. PTES will utilize the Protected Tactical Waveform (PTW) to provide anti-jam communications via military and commercial satellite systems for tactical users in all Services. Initially, PTES will utilize the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) system and may be expanded later to include commercial satellites and the Protected Tactical SATCOM (PTS) system. The PTES program is developing a mission management system (MMS), a key management system (KMS) and hub system to enable PTW via transponded WGS satellites, with future extension to commercial SATCOM. Production-representative PTW modems for user terminals are being developed by the Protected Tactical Service Field Demonstration (PTSFD) and will be separately acquired by each Service and by international partners. To meet the warfighter requirements for protected tactical MILSATCOM and the capability gaps identified in these studies, RDT&E funding is required for architectural development, acquisition strategy development, system requirements and system trades analysis, and engineering, manufacturing, developing, testing and evaluating PTES systems and segments. The PTES rapid prototype addresses an urgent operational need in the Pacific region by achieving Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in 2023. IOC provides ground elements for PTW over WGS and consists of PTES installation at two WGS Gateway sites utilizing one WGS satellite. The Navy Wideband Anti-Jam Modem System (WAMS) relies on PTES to provide PTW ground infrastructure. The DAF is utilizing FY 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, Section 804, Middle Tier of Acquisition for Rapid Prototyping authority to deliver a PTES Operational Demonstration meeting the Navy's Minimum Viable Product in FY 2022. At Full Operational Capability (FOC) PTES will provide worldwide PTW operations using up to all WGS satellites. Space acquisition must respond with speed and agility to emerging adversary threats. Space & Missile Systems Center (SMC) 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, SMC will strategically execute experimentation, prototyping, risk reduction, and other efforts to develop new or repurpose capabilities. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver PTES 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 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, 2022
• Source ID: 643726_1206760F_4_3600_PB_2022

Tags

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering.
• Civilian Systems Systems Program Capability Development and Upgrade Support Activity Expense and Pay Management.
• Tactical Satellite Communications Systems Engineering.

Technology Areas

• Microelectronics
• Space
• Space - Satellites