Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman will each build 36 satellites for US Space Development Agency's T2TL satellite constellation. (Image: Northrop Grumman)
Lockheed Martin will receive $816 million and Northrop Grumman almost $733 million to each build 36 satellites which will form the foundation of T2TL – Beta variant prototype constellation of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.
SDA awarded these firm-fixed priced Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements to the two companies to each build and operate three orbital planes of 12 satellites each, with the first plane ready for launch by September 2026.
The T2TL – Beta space vehicles will provide global communications access and deliver persistent global encrypted connectivity to support missions like BLoS targeting and warning and tracking of advance missile threats.
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The T2TL features multiple space vehicle and mission configuration variants procured through a multi-solicitation and multi-vendor acquisition approach.
The PWSA Transport Layer will provide multi-band global communications access and persistent encrypted connectivity for warfighter missions. The Transport Layer will be the space backbone for the Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) infrastructure with low-latency data transport, sensor-to-shooter connectivity, and tactical satellite communication (TACSATCOM) direct to platform.
SDA director, Derek Tournear said: ‘The Beta variant of the T2TL vehicles are similar to Tranche 1 Transport Layer vehicles while also integrating advanced tactical communication technology demonstrated by the Tranche 1 Development and Experimentation System.’
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.
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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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