The US Navy has accepted the fourth Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite built by Lockheed Martin following the successful completion of on-orbit testing.
The satellite was launched on 2 September, joining MUOS-1, MUOS-2 and MUOS-3, launched respectively in 2012, 2013 and January 2015. The satellite will be re-located to its on-orbit operational slot in Spring 2016 ahead of operational acceptance.
The MUOS satellites and relay ground stations allow beyond line-of-sight secure communications for deployed military forces. The network’s commercial, cellular-based capabilities include simultaneous, crystal-clear voice, video and mission data over a secure high-speed Internet Protocol-based system.
When fully operational, the MUOS network will provide 16 times the capacity of the legacy ultra high frequency communications satellite system, which it will eventually replace.
Iris Bombelyn, vice president for narrowband communications, Lockheed Martin, said: ‘MUOS-4 completes the initial constellation, providing the MUOS network with nearly global coverage. Mobile forces, equipped with MUOS terminals, will soon be able to communicate with each other – including voice, data and exchanging imagery – real-time, virtually anywhere on the Earth.
‘This is a tremendous upgrade in communications capabilities over what currently exists for our nation and our allies.’
The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.
DARPA’s Mission-Integrated Network Control (MINC) programme was set up to develop an autonomous tactical network and enable critical data flow in contested environments.
Why space is an essential part of modern military capabilities
Defence-secure mixed reality headsets can save hours, or even weeks, of travel time to fix defunct equipment or get subject experts effectively “on-site” where they are needed.
The Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) and Drone Restricted Access Using Known Electromagnetic Warfare (DRAKE) counter-UAS (CUAS) systems are mounted and dismounted RF jammers.
Adarga’s Vantage information analysis tool is in service with the UK MoD and individual UK forces. It builds on the company’s Knowledge Platform which processes, organises and analyses open source material, as well as information held by the user’s military, security and intelligence services.
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