Northrop Grumman has completed early delivery of the fourth payload for the Air Force’s Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) protected military communications satellites. The payload of phased array, nulling and advanced v-band crosslink antennas incorporates with the communications processing, routing and control hardware and software shipped earlier in the year to prime contractor Lockheed Martin.
Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman are employing a hybrid satellite integration and test approach in anticipation of the satellite’s 2017 launch.
“This hybrid approach is providing an overall reduction in program cost and schedule,” said Stuart Linsky, vice president of communication programs at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, in a news release. “We fully expect to see these savings on flights 5 and 6 as well.”
AEHF satellites provide higher capacity for two-way, jam-resistant tactical military communications, such as real-time video, battlefield maps and targeting data. Exceeding the legacy Milstar system’s capabilities, the AEHF payloads offer low probability of detection and intercept, rapid recovery during a nuclear event, the ability to operate through scintillation, greatly reduced risk from physical attack to ground systems, and significant protection from cyber attack. This endurance makes them the vehicle for communications to National Command Authority, including presidential conferencing in all levels of conflict.
