Anti-Jam Communication Satellites From Boeing, Northrop Grumman Eyed for USSF Program

The U.S. Space Force has short-listed Boeing and Northrop Grumman for its next-generation jamming-resistant communication satellites. 

Earlier, the two companies secured task orders to develop prototypes for the USSF’s Protected Tactical Satellite-Resilient program to establish a constellation of communication spacecraft resistant to jamming and cyberattacks, safeguarding U.S. forces’ connectivity in contested environments.

On-orbit demonstrations of the two companies’ PTS-R prototype payloads are planned during fiscal year 2025 with a proposed $349 million budget. The USSF’s Wideband Global SATCOM-11 will host Boeing’s payload, which is being produced under a separate military contract and scheduled for a 2024 launch. Northrop Grumman is sending its payload on a dedicated spacecraft with a new ESPAStar-HP satellite bus planned for launch in 2025.

The Space Systems Command’s initial plan for an open PTS-R procurement competition was revised following new market research showing that Boeing and Northrop Grumman were the only companies qualified under the program’s rigorous standards, SpaceNews reported Thursday.

However, other companies can explore opportunities in a global program complementing PTS-R, with a broader communication coverage and a proposed $248 million FY 2025 budget.