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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
FY97 Annual Report

NAVY EXTRA HIGH FREQUENCY SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM (NESP)

	Navy ACAT IC Program 392 Systems Total program cost (TY$) $2239M Average unit cost (TY$) $3.6M Full-rate production 3QFY93 Prime Contractor Raytheon

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

The Navy Extra High Frequency (EHF) Satellite Communications Program (NESP) terminal connects ship, shore, and submarine platforms to the Milstar satellite constellation. The NESP terminal supports survivable, endurable, and flexible worldwide command and control communications to strategic and tactical Naval forces through all levels of conflict. The NESP terminal provides minimum-essential secure communications in stressed environments that require antijam (AJ) and low-probability-of-intercept (LPI) capabilities. NESP will enable our forces to maintain information superiority through all levels of conflict, enhancing full-dimensional protection to our warfighters by capitalizing on the unique capabilities of the Milstar satellite system.

There are three different configurations of the NESP terminal corresponding to ship, shore, and submarine platforms. Although each terminal has the same basic capabilities, their antennas and other peripheral equipment vary by platform. In addition to communicating with the Milstar satellites, the NESP terminals can operate with the Fleet Satellite EHF Package (FEP) on satellites 7 and 8 and with the UHF Follow-On (UFO) EHF packages on UFO satellites 4 through 10. In keeping with the 1992 restructuring of the Milstar program, the NESP terminal is being upgraded to add a tactical medium data rate (MDR) capability to the existing strategic low data rate capability (LDR). The maximum LDR data rate is 2.4 kbps, while the maximum MDR data rate is substantially higher at 1.544 Mbps.

The NESP terminal IOT&E comprised three operational tests. The first operational test, OT-IIA in June 1988, supported the Milestone IIIA decision in September 1988. The second and third operational tests, OT-IIB and OT-IIC (conducted in September 1990 and August 1992, respectively), supported the Milestone IIIB decision in April 1993. Since the NESP IOT&E occurred before the first Milstar satellite was on orbit, FEP satellites supported this IOT&E. The fourth and fifth operational tests, OT-IIIA (August and September 1994) and OT-IIIB (June, July, and September 1996), were both follow-on OTs supported by the Flight 1 Milstar satellite. In addition to verifying the NESP terminal performance with the on-orbit Flight 1 Milstar satellite, the FOT&E addressed unresolved issues and deficiencies observed in the prior tests. The AJ and LPI performance of the NESP terminal was tested in OT-IIIB using Flight 1. The MDR OT&E for the NESP terminal is scheduled for 1QFY99.

Phase II LDR System IOT&E. The NESP terminal participated in the Phase II LDR System IOT&E Dedicated Asset Test (DAT II) conducted by AFOTEC in March 1997. DAT II addressed communications connectivity over networks using the cross link between the Flight 1 and Flight 2 Milstar satellites, as well as issues not resolved in Phase I LDR System IOT&E.

Milstar Intersegment Test. Army, Navy, and Air Force terminals participated in the Milstar Intersegment Test conducted in July 1997. In this developmental test, the Service terminals were connected to the Milstar Flight 3 satellite payloads at the contractor's facility. The Army's LDR/MDR capable Secure, Mobile, Antijam, Reliable, Tactical Terminal (SMART-T) and the NESP terminal, equipped with an MDR appliqué, participated in both MDR and LDR tests, while the Air Force Command Post Terminal participated in the LDR tests. These tests examined the compatibility and interoperability of the NESP terminal with the Milstar LDR and MDR payloads. The tests included LDR and MDR acquisitions, simultaneous LDR/MDR network operations, interoperable LDR and MDR network and point-to-point calls, antenna and network control functions, and Year 2000 rollovers.

At the completion of IOT&E, DOT&E concluded that the ship and shore NESP terminals were operationally effective and suitable. These findings supported full fleet introduction. COMOPTEVFOR and DOT&E recommended follow-on OT to evaluate the suitability of the submarine terminal and the survivability of the ship and submarine terminals. OT III-A verified the interoperabilty of the NESP terminal with a Milstar satellite and completed resolution of all COIs, except survivability, as satisfactory. The survivability COI was resolved as satisfactory in OT III-B, which addressed the AJ and LPI performance of the ship and submarine terminals. DOT&E found the LDR NESP terminals to be operationally effective and suitable.

Although the Milstar submarine terminal meets the operational requirements for LPI, OT results showed the submarine had a higher probability of intercept than DTs had indicated. This reinforces the DOT&E position on the vital role of operational testing.

Operational testing of the NESP MDR capability is scheduled for 1QFY99. DTs are proceeding on schedule. Cutbacks in the Navy R&D funding, however, may affect the MDR upgrade testing schedule. The Program Office has not yet fully determined the impact of the cutbacks. DOT&E will monitor the situation to ensure the MDR NESP terminals are adequately tested.