WGS Space Systems Resiliency Upgrade

Abstract

The Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) System provides the DoD with high data rate military satellite communication (MILSATCOM) services in accordance with the Joint Space Management Board-approved MILSATCOM architecture (August 1996), the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC)-approved MILSATCOM Capstone Requirements Document (October 1997), and JROC-approved WGS Operational Requirements Document (May 2000). This program was originally conceived to augment the near-term "bandwidth gap" in warfighter communications needs. Dual-frequency WGS satellites augment, then replace the DoD's Defense Satellite Communications System X-band service and augment one-way Global Broadcast Service Ka-band capabilities. In addition, WGS provides a high capacity two-way Ka-band Service. WGS Block I consists of satellites 1-3, Block II consists of satellites 4-6 and Block II Follow-on (B2FO) includes satellites 7-10 and WGS 11+. WGS satellites 1-10 have been funded, procured and launched in previous budget cycles. In the Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY 2018, Congress added $600.0M SPAF in FY 2018 for "full funding for WGS 11 and 12." A sole source Request for Proposal was released to Boeing in June 2018. A final decision was made to procure a single satellite (WGS 11+) with twice the operational capacity of WGS 10 as the best approach to delivering the directed additional WGS capacity in a cost effective manner. Total WGS 11+ 3021/3022 funds are $670.859M. International Partners (IPs) receive constellation-wide WGS resources commensurate with their financial contributions to the WGS system. Investment from IPs to cooperatively enhance the system started in November 2007 through a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Australia to fund WGS space vehicle (SV)-6, launch and launch services. Five countries (Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, Luxembourg, New Zealand) signed a new multilateral WGS MOU in 2012 and funded the procurement of WGS SV-9. In 2017, Amendment One to the WGS MOU leveraged additional funding for resiliency enhancements from two new IPs (Czech Republic and Norway). There is an International Agreement via the State Department regarding IP collaboration with WGS 11+. In Amendment Two to the multilateral MOU (adds Belgium and United Kingdom, but does not include Australia), IPs agree to cover necessary ground upgrades and launch costs for WGS 11+ not covered by the 2018 Congressional add, with Space Systems Command (SSC) providing program management, integration, and engineering expertise through FY 2026. The DoD has procured a more advanced single WGS 11+ satellite enhancing support to the US military, DoD, and allied nations with more flexibility to support dispersed users than previous WGS spacecraft. WGS 11+ produces more beams (over 1500) than the entire existing WGS constellation and will provide twice the mission capability. The new capabilities allow operators to create unique coverage anywhere within the satellite's field of view and custom designed for the mission at hand. The objective of this effort is for the development, integration, and test of advanced beam management to enhance legacy beam management tools in support of rapid planning and control. This effort will develop and deploy capabilities across the WGS enterprise to provide WGS 11+ management and control (M&C) ground enhancements with responsive end-to-end mission planning, protection, and terminal synchronized capabilities. Funding the engineering and development for enhanced element M&C will provide greater routing complexity and mission planning flexibility to support 80 times more X and Ka-band spot beams on WGS 11+ than on WGS 1-10 spacecraft. This funding will be used to develop and integrate WGS-11+ advanced beam management capabilities facilitating contested and mobile operations on tactically relevant timescales. Definition and deployment of machine-to-machine interfaces between resource request and planning software facilitates rapid beam management and reduces planning and operations timelines. Updated WGS 11+ M&C interfaces will improve planning data responsiveness through access to automated equipment configuration registries and enable WGS 11+ integration into the broader DoD SATCOM Enterprise. External WGS-11+ interfaces may be leveraged to support planning, situational awareness, power control, and real time equipment orchestration. Space acquisition must respond with speed and agility to emerging adversary threats. The 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 repurpose capabilities. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver WGS 11+ for 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 program is in Budget Activity 5, System Development and Demonstration (SDD) because it has passed Milestone B approval and is conducting engineering and manufacturing development tasks aimed at meeting validated requirements prior to full rate production.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2023
• Source ID: 657107_1206433SF_5_3620F_PB_2023

Tags

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering.
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Tactical Satellite Communications Systems Engineering.

Technology Areas

• Space
• Space - Satellites