{"id":26331,"date":"2018-03-22T12:41:07","date_gmt":"2018-03-22T12:41:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/22\/the-satellite-surprise-inside-the-spending-bill\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:27:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:27:14","slug":"the-satellite-surprise-inside-the-spending-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/special-reports\/satcom\/2018\/03\/22\/the-satellite-surprise-inside-the-spending-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"The satellite surprise inside the spending bill"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The new spending plan congressional leaders unveiled March 21 unexpectedly includes $600 million for the Air Force to extend its wideband satellite communications program<\/a> by two satellites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Air Force\u2019s Wideband Global Satcom program currently consists of 10 satellites, the first of which launched in 2007, and has a total price tag of $4.3 billion. Boeing is the program\u2019s prime contractor and the last satellite in the program had been expected to launch in fiscal 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But budget documents from the House accompanying the bill call for an additional $600 million for what\u2019s described as \u201cfull funding for WGS 11 and 12.\u201d It does not offer further details, but does mention Congress is concerned the Department of Defense may end up replenishing all of its major satellite programs at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The WGS satellites had not been mentioned in the president\u2019s budget request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move is likely to rattle the commercial satellite industry.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new money comes as the Pentagon is involved in a broader discussion about how it will acquire satellite bandwidth in the future. In late 2016, DoD leaders kicked off a high-profile study, known as the analysis of alternatives, to examine potential paths forward and work more closely with industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\t