Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF)
The Advanced Extremely High Frequency system is one of the satellite systems projected for the future. This system will replace Milstar and will provide 12 times the throughput of that system. Single user’s data rates increase dramatically, more than four times that of Milstar. So for every one link of the old Milstar, the Air Force now has 12 operating at four times the speed. This upgrade is like a one-lane road being transformed into a 12-lane information Autobahn.
The Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) System is a joint service satellite communications system that provides near-worldwide, secure, survivable, and jam-resistant communications for high-priority military ground, sea, and air assets.
The Advanced Extreme High Frequency program will provide near-worldwide, secure, survivable satellite communications to support strategic and tactical forces of the United States and its international partners during all levels of conflict.
AEHF also will usher in a new era of cooperation and interoperability with Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, under cooperative development partnerships. Completion of a global capability will be enabled by the first launch of the AEHF satellite in April 2008. SV-1 will be compatible with Milstar and will complete the Milstar capability. After the launch and deployment of SV-2, both satellites will provide XDR services, enabling an entirely new suite of coverage, networking and security services to U.S. and international partners.
Features
The AEHF System is the follow-on to the Milstar system, augmenting and improving on the capabilities of Milstar and expanding the MILSATCOM architecture. The AEHF program will provide connectivity across the spectrum of mission areas, including land, air and naval warfare, special operations, strategic nuclear operations, strategic defense, theater missile defense, space operations and intelligence.
The system consists of three satellites in geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) providing up to 100 times the capacity of the 1990s-era Milstar satellites, servicing up to 4,000 networks and 6,000 terminals. Assuming a full constellation of three AEHF and one Transformational Satellite (TSAT), this provides continuous 24-hour coverage between 65 degrees north and 65 degrees south latitude. Advanced EHF allows the National Security Council and Unified Combat Commanders to contact their tactical and strategic forces at all levels of conflict through general nuclear war and supports the attainment of information superiority. The AEHF System is the follow-on to the Milstar system, augmenting and improving on the capabilities of Milstar, and expanding the MILSATCOM architecture to enable Transformational Communications and Network-Centric Warfare.
While AEHF is similar to Milstar, there are numerous important advances that significantly extend MILSATCOM capabilities. AEHF can effectively emulate a Milstar satellite to allow a large, installed base of ground, shipborne and airborne terminals to immediately make use of its extensive capability. It does, however, provide tremendously more capability as the XDR services are enabled in conjunction with a new and upgraded set of user ground, airborne, and shipborne terminals. The XDR services have greatly increased coverage options to allow distributed users better access to resources.
These include improved adaptive antennas that cancel out the impact of enemy emitters designed to disrupt U.S. war-fighter communications; new narrowband services to allow Special Operations Forces and other disadvantaged users efficient access to communications; “virtual satellite” control to enable war fighters to positively manage the communications resources necessary for successful engagement; and greatly enhanced security improvements to block theft of cryptographic information. These services are being enabled by some significant technological achievements. First-ever dynamically controlled uplink and downlink phased-array antennas provide global sharing of resources for a broad array of uses. The program has successfully incorporated commercial microelectronics that enable capability while reducing the weight and power of the satellite without sacrificing the essential military essence of a system and services that are unavailable in the commercial marketplace. Overall, one AEHF satellite will outperform the entire Milstar constellation.
AEHF will provide connectivity across the spectrum of mission areas, including land, air, and naval warfare; special operations; strategic nuclear operations; strategic defense; theater missile defense; and space operations and intelligence. The AEHF System will provide warfighters with broadcasting, data networking, voice conferencing, and strategic reportback capabilities. It will also provide commanders with the advantages of near-worldwide coverage, multi-user connectivity, protected data, and ease of use. AEHF protections include anti-jam capabilities, Low Probability of Detection (LPD), a Low Probability of Intercept (LPI), and advanced encryption systems. Finally, the AEHF system is a multinational effort with international partners from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Canada. These international partners will gain access to the AEHF network through their own terminals.
The AEHF system is composed of three segments: space (the satellites), terminals (the users), and mission control and associated communications links. the segmentns will provide communications in a specified set ofo data rates from 75 bps to approximately 8 Mbps. The space segment consists of a cross-linked constellation of satellites to provide worldwide coverage. The mission control segment controls satellites on orbit, monitors satellite health, and provides communications system planning and monitoring. This segment is highly survivable, with both fixed and mobile control stations. System uplinks and crosslinks will operate at extremely high frequency (EHF), and downlinks at super high frequency (SHF). The terminal segment includes fixed and mobile ground terminals, ship and submarine terminls, and airborne terminals. User terminals supported by AEHF include Secure Mobile Anti-Jam Reliable Tactical-Terminal (SMART-T), Single Channel Anti-Jam Man Portable (SCAMP), Family of Advanced Beyond Line -of -sight Terminals (FAB-T), and Navy Multiband Terminals (NMT).
Microwave and millimeter wave units for defense satellites have been extremely expensive in the past - sometimes totaling more than 20 percent of the cost of a satellite. Typical applications use these units in high quantities and they are very expensive individually - as much as $50,000 per pound.
Defense satellite systems scheduled over the next few years will include more microwave hardware than ever before. Phased arrays will use thousands of microwave modules per satellite, and some satellite constellations will consist of as many as 20-30 satellites. Without less expensive microwave hardware, some of these key Air Force mission systems would be unaffordable.
The Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Division of the Air Force Research Laboratory's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, under a cost-sharing contract with Northrop Grumman, have applied new forms of automated packaging Radio Frequency (RF) modules and millimeter wave units that have driven down the cost, while also decreasing the size and weight of each unit. The Affordable Millimeter Wave Units (AMU) Program now allows a rapid and highly repeatable automated assembly of module and board level AMUs, with minimal labor, and no hand tuning.
AMU has successfully demonstrated hardware designed specifically for three major defense satellite system programs. Near term space systems, such as the Transformational Satellite, and the Space-Based Infrared System Low and Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) have had estimates placed that show that AMU's technologies will save 50-80 percent of the cost of tens of thousands of modules, which previously would cost several thousand dollars apiece. The AEHF, for example, has adopted and inserted AMU's technologies in more than 100 RF board assemblies and nearly 10,000 RF modules.
The AEHF satellites will respond directly to service requests from operational commanders and user terminals providing real-time point-to-point connectivity and network services on a priority basis. On-board signal processing will provide protection and ensure optimum resource utilization and system flexibility among the Military Services and other users who operate terminals on land, sea, and air. The AEHF system will be backward compatible with the low data rate (LDR) and medium data rate (MDR) capabilities of legacy Milstar satellites and terminals, while providing extended data rates (XDR) and other improved functionality at substantially less cost than the previous system. Each satellite will be launched with the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV); the initial launch is planned for 2007. The MILSATCOM Joint Program Office (MJPO), Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), is responsible for development, acquisition, and sustainment of the WGS AEHF Program.
Program History
SMC awarded two competitive contracts for system definition of AEHF on 23 August 1999.
The Joint Requirements Oversight Council again validated the user community’s need 23 March 2000 for mitigating the loss of Milstar Flight 3. Flight 3, launched in April 1999, was equipped with the first medium-data-rate communications payload, which was designed to support the secure mobile antijam reliable tactical terminals performing mobile-subscriber-equipment range-extension missions at corps and division level. There was a misfire in the rocket’s upper stage, causing Flight 3 to fail to reach a useable orbit.
Since there were a number of options to mitigate Flight 3’s loss, Dr. J.S. Gansler, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and technology, signed the acquisition decision memorandum [ADM] 06 April 2000 for the advanced extremely-high-frequency program. The ADM eliminated competition in the AEHF program and created a national team made up of Lockheed Martin, Hughes and TRW. This revised approach will provide a "Pathfinder" AEHF satellite on an accelerated schedule. Gansler’s guidance stated that Pathfinder will meet AEHF threshold requirements at a minimum and that satellites two to five will exceed threshold requirements. At that time Pathfinder was expected to launch around December 2004.
On 16 November 2001 the U.S. Air Force awarded a $2.698 billion System Development and Demonstration contract for the Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite program to a team comprised of Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space, Sunnyvale, Calif. and TRW Inc., Space and Electronics, Redondo Beach, Calif. The contractor team is led by Lockheed Martin as the prime integrator and provider of the Spacecraft Bus and ground command and control segments with TRW providing the satellite payload. The contract will culminate in the delivery of two AEHF satellites and the ground command and control system. The first of two satellites under this contract was scheduled for launch in 2006.
The contract will develop and deliver the Department of Defense’s next generation highly secure, high capacity communications satellites and ground command and control system as a follow-on capability to DoD’s current Milstar communications satellite program. AEHF will provide 10-times greater total capacity over Milstar communications satellites allowing tactical military communications such as real-time video, battlefield maps and targeting data.
On 11 October 2002, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the NATO Consultation, Command, and Control Agency (NATO NC3A) of satellite communication services and support. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $550 million.
NATO NC3A requested a possible sale of satellite communication services and support for Extremely High Frequency (EHF) service on the United States Advanced EHF (AEHF) systems, AEHF follow-on support for meeting future satellite communication requirements, control of service-provisioned resources on AEHF and applicable follow-on systems, communications infrastructure upgrade and maintenance support, operation and logistics support including training, publications and documentation, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance and other related requirements. The estimated cost is $550 million.
This proposed sale was in support of a competition which is limited to bids from member nations that participate in NATO. NATO remains the fundamental component of U.S. national security in the North Atlantic and European regions. By providing satellite communication services, the U.S. ensures interoperability with US capabilities and those of our NATO allies and maintains a direct influence on NATO's communications architecture.
As of 2002 NATO had a satellite communications system that was used in support of NATO military operations and to provide communications for political consultations. This proposed sale would obtain a protected satellite communications capability and augment their satellite communications system. NATO has been operating a satellite communications system since the early 1970's.
In 2002 defense officials announced a 2009 target for the launch of a "transformational" SATCOM system and subsequently established an office to develop the program architecture. Officials would decide by the end of 2004 on whether to proceed with buying two more Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellites or commit to building a more advanced system reliant on laser technologies. As of late 2002 the fate of a planned five-satellite buy of the Lockheed Martin-led Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite system depended upon the progress of the Transformational Communications System (TCS).
At least three AEHF satellites will be required to support critical military communications, and as many as five could be needed, depending on progress in the research and development of next-generation transformational communications satellites.
The fiscal year 2004 budget request, submitted in early 2003, included no procurement funding for the third AEHF satellite. At that time the Air Force did not intend to request this funding until fiscal year 2005. This represented a significant change from the budget projection for AEHF in fiscal year 2003, when the Air Force planned to request $95.0 million in advanced procurement for the third AEHF satellite in fiscal year 2004. This delay will result in a significant production gap that will require a costly requalification of suppliers, a significant increase in technical risks, and a possible delay in the AEHF schedule.
In June 2003 Lockheed Martin Corp, Sunnyvale, Calif., was awarded a $5,200,000 contract modification to provide for in-scope changes to modify the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) Payload to accommodate resources to process Rapid Reconfiguration Order Wire (RROW) AEHF Access Control Channel Uplink (XC2) streams for the AEHF Program. The technical change ensures backward compatibility with MILSTAR operations and will provide users the capability to fence the necessary payload resources to process RROW XC2 streams and the capability to control the fenced RROW XC2 stream processing payload resources as any other fenced resource, including sub-fences and sub-sub-fences, via command and access control protocol. The change will impact multiple documents, the Mission Planning Element of the Mission Control Segment, the Configurable Onboard Router in the Digital Processing Subsystem and the payload software. The AEHF Satellite Communications System provides secure, survivable communications to U.S. warfighters during all levels of conflict and is the protected backbone of the DoD's military satellite communications architecture. This work will be completed in September 2008.
Because the AEHF system will include devices connected to the Air Force Constellation Net, the AEHF program office is engaging the Air Force Space Command Certification and Accreditation Section to ensure all network security concerns are identified and mitigated during the development of the system.
Historically, early engagement with network security subject matter experts reduced or eliminated security modifications that must be resolved by redesign during the implementation phase of a system. It’s well known that security modifications made during the implementation phase of a system are the most expensive and time consuming. Modifications required at implementation are best avoided with thorough analysis during the requirements phase. The AEHF program office is actively pursuing this objective.
On May 18, 2004 Lockheed Martin Corp., Space Systems Co., Sunnyvale, Calif. and Northrop Grumman Space Technology, Los Angeles, Calif., were awarded a $149,000,000 contract modification which incorporated within-scope changes resulting from Revision to the KI-54 Cryptographic Interface Control Document (ICD). The KI-54 ICD was modified by the NSA’s contractor, the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) prime and subcontractor team (Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman) was required to redesign the Host Accessory Logic Application Specific Integrated Circuit (HAL ASIC) in the AEHF communication payload. This effort was captured in Phase 1. In Phase 2, the AEHF contractor team will receive a four months program extension to identify and mitigate the AEHF system-level risks associated with the HAL ASIC redesign. (Note: The KI-54 is an encryption device or “black box”.) This change to the AEHF Technical Baseline during FY2004, will allow the contractor team to proceed with the development of the AEHF program with reduced technical risk. Providing this technical change ensures that system compatibility issues with the KI-54 will be addressed in a thorough fashion to ensure mission success. Locations of performance are: Lockheed Martin Corp., Sunnyvale Calif. (51%) and Northrop Grumman, Los Angeles, Calif. (49%). At this time, $19,812,000 of the funds has been obligated. This work will be complete September 2008.
In October 2004 the Air Force decided not to buying a fourth AEHF satellite in order to proceed more quickly with the Transformational Communications Satellite (TSAT).
On 21 December 2004 the Air Force announced that the AEHF communications satellite program had suffered a schedule slip of one year, with launch of the first of three planned satellites delayed to 2008 rather than 2007, and cost growth of about 20 percent. The AEHF program experienced unavoidable delays and cost growth due to delayed delivery of information-assurance [signal-encryption] products, and the resulting delay of terminals required for satellite command and control. As a result of these schedule impacts, the AEHF program was delayed by 12 months. The AEHF program also is experiencing cost growth due to replacement of critical electronic parts and added payload component testing; however, these activities have no schedule impact. With the restructure, the projected launches werescheduled in April 2008, April 2009 and April 2010.
The first AEHF space vehicle (SV-1) will be operated as a Milstar-only capability to complete the Milstar capability. After the launch and deployment of AEHF space vehicle 2 (SV-2), both satellites will provide extended-data-rate (XDR) services (up to 8.139 Mbps), enabling an entirely new suite of coverage, networking and security services to U.S. and international cooperative development partners Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
The AEHF problem has two causes. First, the production and delivery of newly developed information-assurance products, and the resulting delay of satellite command and control terminals, have fallen behind schedule, causing satellite launches to be delayed by 12 months. Second, the program incurred cost growth from unplanned payload component testing and replacement of existing critical electronic components. These combined cost and schedule and cost impacts are expected to increase the overall cost of the AEHF program by approximately 20 percent.
Development of new, complex information-assurance products, concurrently with other AEHF subsystems, has been a technically challenging and high-risk area for the program. The National Security Agency (NSA), working closely with the MILSATCOM Joint Program Office, implemented several risk-reduction actions to sustain ongoing satellite integration and test activities. In spite of these efforts, delayed delivery of final information-assurance products and satellite command and control terminals is preventing the government from delivering them to the AEHF prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, on schedule. Late receipt of this government-furnished equipment will prevent on-time completion of AEHF system integration and test, and ultimately delay satellite launches.
The AEHF program incurred cost growth from unplanned payload component testing and replacement of existing critical electronic components with parts that could be space-qualified within schedule. While these activities contributed to the overall cost growth, they did not contribute to the schedule delays.
As of early 2005 projections of the Milstar constellation reveal a healthy constellation through the 2011-2014 timeframe. This constellation should maintain a robust low-data-rate (75 to 2,400 bits per second) capability to provide command and control to strategic forces and is one satellite shy of global medium-data-rate service (4800 bps to 1.544 megabits per second) due to the launch vehicle failure in April 1999 of the Milstar Flight 3 satellite. Completion of a global capability will be enabled by the first launch of the AEHF satellite in April 2008.
Lockheed Martin, Space Systems Co., Sunnyvale, Calif., was awarded on April 14, 2006 a $454,882,060 cost plus fixed fee, cost plus award fee contract modification. This contract action is for the implementation of the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) Satellite Communication System Program re-plan, which started in late 2004. The re-plan was necessary due to delayed delivery of government-furnished information assurance products, added payload component testing, and replacement of critical parts that were disqualified for space flight. The effort includes development of emulators, additional testing associated with integrating multiple incremental deliveries, and additional months of non-recurring development. The resulting AEHF first launch date of April 2008 is consistent with the revised Acquisition Program Baseline approved in March 2005. At this time, $17,709,000 has been obligated. This work will be complete May 2010. PA POC is Joseph Davidson, (310) 833-6428. Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, Calif., is the contracting activity. (F04701-02-C-0002/P00136)
