• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
FY97 Annual Report

UHF FOLLOW-ON (UFO) SATELLITE SYSTEM

	Navy ACAT IC Program 10 systems Total program cost (TY$) $1866M Average unit cost (TY$) $207M Full-rate production 4QFY88 FOT&E 4QFY95 Prime Contractor Hughes

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

The UHF Follow-On (UFO) Satellite System will provide UHF communications and Super-High Frequency (SHF) antijam command and broadcast capabilities through four pairs of geosynchronous satellites to more than 5,000 tactical users worldwide. UFO's unique communication capabilities will enable our forces to maintain information superiority throughout the battlefield, enhancing the dominate maneuver force's ability to react quickly in battle and operate inside the enemy's decision cycle. UFO will provide the warfighter with key command, control, and communications capability well into the 21st century.

UFO satellites will eventually replace the current Navy fleet satellites and leased satellites as they approach the end of their mission lives. The UFO constellation will consist of four pairs of satellites and an on-orbit spare providing coverage over the continental United States and the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Ocean operating areas. Beginning with the fourth satellite, the UFO spacecraft possess a limited Milstar-compatible Extremely High Frequency (EHF) capability. The EHF capability modernizes tracking, telemetry, and commanding; increases antijam protection for fleet broadcast; augments submarine communications; and provides additional EHF spot beams for Navy battle groups. On the last three UFO satellites, the number of channels on the EHF spot beam will be increased from 7 to 20. Additionally, the last three satellites will also possess a payload dedicated to the Global Broadcast Service (GBS). There are currently six operational UFO satellites on orbit. The last three satellites are scheduled for launch during FY98 and FY99. The Air Force Satellite Control Network and the Navy Satellite Control Stations provide worldwide telemetry, command, and ranging to support satellite operations.

The existing constellation of UFO communications satellites provides key command and control links for mobile forces of the DoD and other government agencies. As executive agent, the Navy is charged with maintaining the continuity of the space segment.

The UFO program provides a turnkey system with all development, integration, and technical testing performed solely by the contractor. The contractor must deliver, under warranty, a specified on-orbit capability. The first UFO satellite was launched on March 25, 1993, and was subsequently declared a total loss as a result of under-performance of the launch vehicle. The government received $199M in contract remedies for the loss. Flights 2 through 7 have been successfully launched in the past five years. The Flight 8 satellite continues to process through the production line at Hughes and continues on schedule for a launch in the 2QFY98 time frame.

OPTEVFOR completed FOT&E on the first generation UFO satellites in May 1994 and on the EHP upgrade satellite family in August 1995. These operational tests were conducted while the UFO satellite system supported the requirements of ships representing joint, allied, and naval forces engaged in actual operations in the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, and North Arabian Sea. The purpose of the follow-on operational testing was to determine the on-orbit operational effectiveness and suitability of the UFO satellite system as a whole.

During 1997, the Navy initiated an update of the UFO TEMP to reflect the addition of the GBS payload on the last three UFO satellites. The review process is ongoing.

In July 1994, DOT&E found the UFO Satellite System (UHF-only) to be operationally effective and suitable and recommended approval for fleet employment in conjunction with correction of deficiencies observed in training and documentation. Operational tests of the UHF-only UFO satellites found that the SHF path could not function as the prime path for tracking the satellites as required by the Orbital Requirements Document. Consequently, the Space-Ground Link System continues to provide prime global tracking functions for these satellites. In November 1995, DOT&E found the UFO Satellite System (UHF and EHF) to be operationally effective and suitable and again recommended approval for continued fleet employment in conjunction with correction of joint interoperability, safety, and documentation deficiencies. DOT&E requested the Navy resolve joint interoperability by testing the UFO Satellite System with the Air Force and Army Milstar terminals in an additional FOT&E. The Navy successfully established joint interoperability of the Air Force Milstar terminal with UFO in the testing conducted in February 1997. However, the Army Milstar terminals could not be tested for joint interoperability because they were not modified with the protocols required to access the EHF package onboard the EHF-capable UFO satellites. Joint interoperability of the Army terminals with EHF-capable UFO satellites remains to be established.